


Hatred is Easy, Love is Hard

by Candleinthevoid



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:07:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 41,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26144605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Candleinthevoid/pseuds/Candleinthevoid
Summary: This story takes you on a journey exploring the idea of you, an Imp, the lowliest denizens of Hell, having suddenly a chance to grow a bond with the infamous porn star, Angel Dust. Through a series of conflicts and changes rapidly occurring in your life, you realize that the feelings of love and compassion coursing through you may very well be the chains to a much better life in Hell. A chance to break the tedium of your endless working-to-survive life. But love isn't an easy thing, and sometimes, it really isn't the prettiest or perfect. One can only hope that through all the emotional upheaval, that it all pays off in the end.
Relationships: Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel)/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	1. Numb

You had been an Imp in Hell for many, many years. Honestly, it was hard to keep track amidst all the rampant chaos that was an ever-present constant in the infernal realm. Even more so, it was impossible to even be certain of the “life” that you had been leading. The very second you ended up down here, you knew that Imp’s were not the most respected of demons around here. Weak, lesser, inferior: Those were the messages jammed against your head almost daily, that is, if you weren’t just outright ignored. One Imp amongst hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands. You were not special, and you did not stand out. However, one day amidst the many days you have survived out in this place, that was about to change.

It was another day as usual going to your job. You woke up in the morning, crawled out of your bed at the call of your screeching alarm on the Nightstand beside your sleeping, sprawled out form, only to be silenced with an audible slap of the top of the alarm clock. Gathering clothes. Shower. Brush Teeth. Deal with the standard fare of 7-8 AM traffic. Your ever-present little orderly routine in your even smaller world. The news spoke as to what it usually did. Advertisements, a string of reports on notable territory acquisitions by whatever big hot shot was being bold that particular day, likely to be replaced by another strong, gung-ho demon the day after. And the familiar, dull weight of apathy regarding everything on your morning commute was also part of this morning routine.

Your car came to a slow and steady halt in your assigned parking space, wedged in between two other vehicles amidst the sea of them in them in the large, storied parking lot, of which you had to drive to the top level of every day. Annoying, given you had to do this amidst several other demons in one of Hell’s most populated metropolises.Stepping out of your car, the cold air of the morning washed over your face as you turned to face the distant view visible from the parking garage. That was an undeniable plus. A whole view of the city’s various skyscrapers, cranes, and other miscellaneous buildings littered in between. Whoever said the phrase “It’ll be a cold day in hell before-” was clearly a fucking moron, due to the grey clouds and gentle rainfall that pitter pattered moderately around you. Hell had seasons just like Earth. Time to get to work.

You had proceeded down the cold, wet, cement stairs, across the sheltered walkway to the security door located just beside the south entrance of the mall. Which was still closed for now until 11am. The metallic beep of approval swung the door open as you shoved and wriggled your keycard back into your stuffed pockets. You had walked through the winding corridors and stairs until finally you entered the vacant, seemingly desolate mall. And started to walk, your black dress shoes clapping against the finely polished floors as you maneuvered past other stores and seating. Finally arriving just on time at the clothing store you worked for in the mall. “Roasting Subject.” What an absurd name.  
You went to the back of the store to clock in. As you turned from clocking in, towards the main area of the store, you let out an audible “SHIT” as you ran into a figure standing directly behind you, and looking up to see your manager adorning a large, fangy smile. The Bat demon speaking loudly as she sized you up. “Hey there, (Name)! Had a good rest?” She asked, her wide, yellow eyes bulging with utter glee. Large, fuzzy ears bouncing in her usual restless demeanor. Antagonizing, subtly condescending, and dressed with a clear superiority complex, overtly formal dress suit, despite working in a store covering fads and shit. She was the perfect type to get a manager position for how much ass she kissed. “Good morning, Nina. Yes I did.” You said with a polite smile and convincingly feigned enthusiasm. “Wonderful, wonderful, I’m gonna need you to put all the out of date stuff in the back and scan it into the computer before we open! Thank you!” And just like that, gone. Off to… Do whatever. Leaving the store for the entire opening period as she usually did, leaving it to yourself to do. Begrudgingly, you had let out a little sigh, walked over to the portable, battery-charged scanners, and got to work taking specific bits of clothing off the shelves, and replacing it all with whatever the new movie or game or anime was the hot new thing. Those older designs are usually never seen again. The most boring part of the day alone scanning things. At least you had your phone to entertain until it was time to open.

2 hours had passed like a dream. It was your favorite part of the day. Silent, oddly peaceful surrounded by clothing and light. But now, the hard part had begun. Doors opened, and Nina had returned in her jovial fashion, walking in and loudly clapping her hands together enthusiastically, alongside another of your co-workers. Another Imp, thankfully. A nice woman named “Hailfire.” At least that’s what she called herself, that was definitely not her real name. “Alright you two, set on up, I’ll be in the back working on paperwork if you need me.” As Nina had disappeared past the dressing rooms into her office, Hailfire gave a wave and a smile. “At least she’s in a good mood.” She remarked, approaching and starting to open and set up her till. “That’s true,” you responded. “But she could at least quiet down. It’s like she’s trying to wake up the entire city.” You looked over your shoulder briefly as you made that remark. Hailfire let out a little chuckle as she looked back, her hair flipping about her horns that curved around similar to a goat. “Sure, let’s hope she doesn’t. After yesterday’s rush I’m not gonna be happy if it happens again.” Her tone was light-hearted, in jest, but you knew damned well she meant it. Hell, you even agreed. A bunch of shit-heads and pompous nerds filled this store faster than you thought even possible. A fitting punishment all on its own down here.

The next 2 hours passed also relatively easily. But, it was a Saturday afternoon, and like clockwork, rush began. Pouring into the mall was a bunch of noise and people eager to enjoy their capitalistic fantasies all damn day long. And you went through your normal routine as usual amidst the heavy influx of customers. Half-heartedly recommending shirts and designs, making sure people were finding everything alright you really couldn’t care less about if they were, and dealing with giving people refunds for products they insist were busted or broken in some way but were clearly destroyed by the idiot themselves. The “Customer is always right” was bullshit. Everyone knew it was bullshit, hell, everyone accepted it. But nobody gave a fuck at the end of the day. And neither did you. Just wasted your time, which is what these dickheads were usually here to do. Give a certain percent discount on their next order and move on. Around this time you usually just shut down your thoughts. Became a good little cog in the machine for this damn mall and this damn paycheck to live another day, but as you lifted your head from closing out an order, you got suddenly shoved from the side by Hailfire, who urgently whispered! “Hey, 7’ o clock!” She hissed, pretending to be shuffling away some papers. Into the cabinets below. “What the fuck are you ta-” She shoved you again, nudging you to actually look, and you obliged. Turning over your head to look towards the back corner of the store, you saw quite the unexpected surprise. Angel Dust, you’d know that face anywhere. About as popular a figure in Hell as anyone else due to his fame and “popularity” amongst his clientele and adult film star status. Quite the sought after prize in that industry. But what was he doing here?

The pink, slender spider demon had been casually browsing, with a pensive expression over his face as he was examining different pieces of clothing. All the while dressed in his own standard fare of clothing he was usually seen with. A striped, formal pink jacket, a vibrant bow tie, and some tall boots that climbed up all the way to his thighs. That was him alright, no mistaking it. But -what- the hell was he doing here, of all places? Hailfire was grinning ear to ear as you looked surprised. She shoved you again at your side. “Go talk to him, I’ll hold the tills!”

“What? You can’t be serious, I-”

“Come on!” She interjected in a hissed whisper. “Go see if he needs help finding anything!” She knew your sexuality, and was clearly teasing you about it. Or genuinely trying to play matchmaker. Or being a dick. All three probably, but you gave out a growl at that and sighed. “Alright fine.” You said as you walked out of the little cashier area. “But only because you demand, dick. I’m not into him and I’m not gonna hit on him.” She snickered as you stepped out and stood behind a rack of clothes that separated the both of you. As you approached, you paused and took a deep breath. “Normal.” You thought to yourself. “Just be normal. Don’t humor his flirtation, and don’t let him tease you.” You had exhaled, and stepped forward around the rack of clothes, adorning that same old customer service smile you gave to anybody else as you approached him.


	2. Spark

“Hello there, finding everything alright?” You had spoken out with genuinely convincing enthusiasm. Your smile remained, content and unphased towards the infamous spider demon who had turned towards you, one hand, two fingers rubbing the material of a long sleeve T-shirt that had found and piqued his interest. Angel Dust had adorned a surprised gaze, and snapped. “Yeah, I’m fine! Fuck off.” He said, rather suddenly towards you. This was by no surprise to you initially, this was the reaction of most customers honestly. But before you even approached Angel had been adorning a wide enthusiastic sharp-toothed grin to the shirt in question. That change in attitude was rather sudden. You couldn’t even get a response out before the Spider had marched away to the other side of the store, away from you. You decided to take a look and fully withdraw the shirt that was being previously examined and saw that it was relevant to a particular… Musical? Phantom of the Opera… A more rare delight down in Hell, at least. But it was really odd to see such a thing being examined by Angel Dust of all people.

You set the shirt back and straightened it out as you returned back to your register. Hailfire hopped over and spread her sharp, impish smile and grin to boot onto you immediately as she leaned her elbow right up by your register, wiggling her brows for added effect, or obnoxiousness. You smiled cheekily and looked over to her as you rested your arms idly on your till. “Nothing happened, just the usual.” Hailfire scoffed and asked with a pointed interrogative tone. “Yeah? What was he lookin’ at over there?” You gave a nod at that, at least. “It was odd, actually. One of our phantom of the opera shirts. The one just showing the half of his mask and the eye? I-” But you were caught off. Angel Dust is seen approaching your till with a conflicted look on his face. Hailfire turned and gave a grin and slithered right on back to her own till, while of course keeping an ear out. You adorned a little smile. “How can I-”

“I’m looking for somethin’, related to that… Thing, Phantom, or whatever..” He was tense, clearly, embarrassed and doing his best to keep his jaw stiff and teeth clenched in agitation. You simply nodded your head. “Was there a certain design you were looking for?” You asked, as you stepped out of the little Cashier’s area and out to him, starting to walk Angel over to the corner you and him were just at when Angel snapped at you. “Yeah,” Angel responded, his hands reaching out, -the four of them revealed anyway- They had tugged and pulled at the shirts, examining their designs on the front and shaking his head. “I saw it online, it had like… The guy holding the girl out underneath him, smilin’ and shit.”. You thought a moment and silently looked out over to the other end of the store, thinking to yourself as you walked past. You thought you knew… Angel Dust looked left and right, following behind you with his arms crossed over eachother.

You had looked and flipped your hands through some clothes. Had to dig a bit under some piles but you shook your head and finally spoke. “I know what you’re talking about. Chill here, and I’ll go look back and see if I can find it okay?” You gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m a fan of it too actually, I have the shirt myself. So it’ll be easy, just a sec.” You walked on past him once more and left him there, who watched you go to the back with a bit of a relieved smile spread across his face. Angel looked to be glad just not to be judged for this, what he feared to be an embarrassment being caught by someone who knew him wasn’t turning out nearly as bad as he dreaded. This guy was kind. A rare thing in the hellish planes. You returned eventually with the shirt in question neatly folded with the specific artwork presented in full view. Long sleeve. “Here it is, just a medium, I hope that works? It was really popular then it just kinda died down, and we didn’t really start getting it in stock anymore, so guess you’re really lucky.” 

Angel reached out, his two hands grabbing the top of the shirt, and his other two grabbed the bottom hem of the shirt spreading it out openly. The tag dangling as it was all splayed out before Angel, he gained a cheeky, giddy smile seeing that scene just as he described it. The curious masked antagonist holding up the female love interest in an adoring look upon his face, and a rather surprised, enthralled look upon her own visage. Angel tugged it down and looked at you once again. “Can I go put it on then I’ll buy it?” He asked with a warm smile your way. “Sure thing, uh, right that way.” You gestured your hand and stepped aside. He looked to you and spoke with appreciation that rang strongly with every word. “Thanks. I really wasn’t lookin’ to get embarrassed if recognized.” With a nod, he walked past you into the dressing rooms out back. Which was your que to turn and walk back to your till, where Hailfire was grinning wide at you from her distance. The look in her green eyes told you right away she heard and saw it all. “Nothing happened,” you insisted as you smiled and shook your head walking to your till again. “See?”

She giggled and crossed her arms. “Uh huh. Real friendly with ‘em, nerd. That was really nice, honestly. I’m already setting up an invitation list for the wedding.” You scoffed and rolled your eyes. You had gotten through helping another customer pay for their clothing when Angel Dust had appeared before you again, simply next in line and you looked at the shirt now proudly worn. Black on pink didn’t look too bad, he made it work! But you weren’t any fashion expert. “Looks nice! Fit okay?” Angel smirked and shook his head. “Yeah, it does. Thanks for the help… Uh, hey, what’s your name, didn’t catch it, babe.” His sheepish expression grew more confident and bold right before you. Hailfire’s eyes widened and looked at you from behind over her shoulder in surprise. As for you? You felt the… Flutter of a single butterfly wing. Just one. A pulse like a jump starting engine in your very soul. Your head tilted as you let out a chuckle and responded in your usual politeness. “Just call me Seb. Good to have met you.” You nodded courteously as you processed Angel’s card he handed to you, and you just kind of automatically went through the rhythm of processing the payment without even realizing you were. He took his card back and shoved it into his pocket, nodding your way.

Angel looked at you for a bit and nodded, a smirk on his face as he bent over, leaning into your counter. Withdrawing a wallet, and letting out a piece of paper, a scrap piece of note paper with a full digit phone number on it, as he had winked your way. “Why don’t ya give me a call later, baby? Whenever ya can, I think your dorky ass would be fun to mess ‘round with..~” About as blunt as it could get. And before you could even respond, Angel turned, and with a hip sway, strutted and walked out with a profound confidence that was suddenly put on before you. Strange, is all you could think. But as you took up the paper and smiled rather clearly flattered and eased the number into your pocket to keep “safe,” Hailfire had walked over and was already starting to laugh as she spoke. “Ho-ho-holy shit, Seb! You got Angel Dust’s number?! Dude, you lil’ suave piece a’ shit!” She slapped your back and laughed as you shook your head. Clearly flustered. At a loss for words. What were you gonna do? You sure tried to keep up the mask, but you were utterly bewildered. And Hailfire knew it. You were a pretty introverted person, and so she eased up and returned to her till, allowing you to focus, and the both of you to get back to work to close off the shift. But she did end her little giddy celebration for you with the following, a most threatening prospect she was -determined- to push you to accept.

“After work, we gotta talk about you setting up a date with him.”


	3. Flicker

She was crazy. You were crazy. You couldn’t even comprehend what happened today let alone what Hailfire was persisting in your ear as you were driving down the highway to her home. “Come on, Seb! He gave you his -number!- ANGEL. DUST’S. NUMBER. You gotta call him, you really just gonna sit on that like a nerd?”

You shook your head as you were in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way home. You really had to say something. “I- Dude.” You started. “Exactly. It’s fucking Angel Dust. One of the most popular porn stars in Hell PERIOD and having connections to -Valentino.- The Princess of Hell, the Radio Demon, and who knows what other goddamn bigshots, and he’s hitting on some random fuckin’ Imp. What if it’s not even genuine? What if they just want to use me for some weird ritual or some other bullshit?”You were probably exaggerating a bit. But the concerns at their heart were valid, and maybe a bit of your internalized insecurity was bleeding into that rant. 

Hailfire scoffed. “That’s bullshit. Y’know that’s bullshit. Angel’s a whore. Not some scheming weirdo. Who cares who he’s friends with? Are you really turning down a chance for a night with Angel Dust? He’s just your type!” She was looking at you in genuine scrutiny now. No longer was she teasing. You could tell she clearly wanted you to go through with this.

“Well, no, I-”

“Exactly! So, c’mon. Lemme help ya out. But first, ya gotta help yourself. Once you get home…” Hailfire lifted her arms up and pretended to mimic a running motion. “You gonna run inside, get settled in. You’re gonna call him, and ask him on a goddamn date, first thing you do before anything else.”

You laughed, shaking your head and looking over to her. “You’re serious? That’s what I’m gonna do?”

Hailfire gave a swift nod. Crossing her arms and defiantly nodding your way. “That’s damn right what you’re gonna do. And I’m gonna be there for motivational support while I gank your fridge.”

You rolled your eyes. But couldn’t help but maintain a smile that she seemed to make you keep so easily whenever she talked. “So you’re staying over tonight.”

She threw her hands in the air in defensive, feigned outrage. “It’s the weekend, of course I am! And if you think I ain’t watching this, you’re outta your fucking mind.” You supposed that made sense. If you were in her shoes you might just do the same thing. But you weren’t. You were here. The chaser to the chased. The cat to the mouse. The sheep to the wolf. Though you hoped that last one wasn’t true. But… Well. You weren’t quite sure what you wanted from this. Your stomach was sinking and your heart felt like a hot air balloon all at once as you eventually made that drive to your home. Your little dumpy apartment greeted you for all that it was worth - the cheap rent was fitting - but it was your little dumpy apartment."The tall, crumbling building that somehow stayed up and standing after years of half-hearted maintenance and brutal fighting between demons and angels, or demons and demons most of the time if you were honest. As you pulled into your parking spot, and stepped on out, Hailfire skipped and rushed, already beating you to the doors by the time you got to her.

“C’mon, you getting cold feet?~” She asked with a big smirk on her face, arms crossed.

“You’re an asshole.” You responded, chuckling.

“Yeah, but you love me. C’mon, let’s go!”

You two went up the elevator and walked to your apartment down 2 corridors. The sounds of the kind that dwelled here were evident through the thin walls. Muffled arguing… Heavy metal music blaring carelessly. It’s hell, nobody cares, after all. And you swore you heard a gunshot, but… That was normal. As long as there weren’t bullets shooting through your walls or ceilings or floors you didn’t care. You jammed the key in your door, twisted and bumped the door open audibly. Flicking on the lights, Hailfire walked right past behind you and dug herself into your fridge. Mainly for the Soda you kept stocked just for her actually. You were -certain- Hailfire was from -way- sooner. Sooner than the modern age. She was one of the first people you met when you arrived down here… And oddly enough, she had no idea what ‘soda’ was until you showed it to her. Among other modern things like the cell phone and Internet and TV. And now? She was absolutely enamored by all that stuff.

You kicked off your shoes and pulled out your phone and the slip of paper Angel had given you back at work. Hesitation once again tingled into your senses. That sinking feeling grew. Even your heart sunk a bit. The unpleasant tinge of your insecurities tapped at your head and heart, but almost as if on cue, Hailfire sinking into your couch and flicking on the TV to the comedy channel spoke aloud. “LET’S GO. You got this, big guy! Right here, I wanna see it.” She turned down the volume on the TV all the way as you looked to her and shook your head.

“Alright, but if he doesn’t answer the first time, I ain’t calling again.”

“You’re such a pussy.” She grinned at you. You let out a little chuckle. “Alright, twice. But no more.”

You felt her gaze on you as you slowly punched in the digits one by one. Your inner anxiety grew steadily with each digit punched in. Hailfire was starting to pick this up and shrugged. “Hey man, if you don’t want to, it’s--”

Call. You pressed the call button. She smirked as you held the phone up to your ear with a thoughtful expression on your face and she had gone quiet. It rang for several seconds. You were sure the call was about to drop. Both relief and disappointment washed over you as you were sure it was the final dial tone coming up but it was suddenly cut off, and answered a voice on the other end letting out a huff and answering. “Hey. Who the fuck’s this? If you’re some creepy asshole that got my number and is trying to get me to phone-sex em..--”

“Uh, no! No, no, just uh… The guy at the Roasting Subject. Uhm, yeah, you.. Gave me your number and stuff so I thought I’d, you know, give you a call!” You said probably, no, definitely over-enthusiastically. But Angel seemed to warm up to it. Seemed to. His voice turned from annoyance to delighted intrigue all so smoothly.

“Oh yeah..? The cute little dork that helped me find that nice little shirt?”

“Yeah, sure did. Enjoying it well?” Of course he was, he bought it. Who asks that?

“Yeah, it’s real cute. I’m even wearing it right now… Not much else though.” Angel remarked rather casually. You blinked and couldn’t help but smile. But that rising feeling in your heart, and that sinking feeling in your torso only grew. Grew to the point you felt like you were rising from your head and sinking into the floor all at once. “Oh… Well, uhm.” Your eyes looking over to the grinning Hailfire as you had a noticeable pause in your breath.

Angel was grinning on the other end of the phone. His golden, sharp canine glinting in the lights of his bedroom. You exhaled slowly and just said it. “That’s real nice to… Hear.” Flirting wasn’t your strong suit. Hailfire stifled a snicker. Angel paused a bit to process that a bit and kept it going. “Mm, I bet it is.”

He didn’t continue after that. Recovery efforts. You had to say something. “So, I was thinking, I wanted to call and… Ask you for a date! Um, I don’t really have anywhere planned right now, but I’ll.. Well, I have your number so I’ll text you and we’ll figure something out with our schedules?” You asked, all in a rather rapid succession of words that you hope made sense. Your tail was twitching and tense, indicative of your current state of mind.

“Hmm.. Yeah I like the sound of that babe… Better treat me somewhere nice now. I deserve to get a bit spoiled, after all..~” You could hear his smile, and you couldn’t help but grin at the words too. Even influenced your next words. “Certainly, you do… Um, yeah!” You cleared your throat and continued on. “So, it’s a date?”

“Sure is, babe.” 

“Uh, excellent! I’ll, uh, get back to you! Let you know when that’s gonna come about! See if my schedule’s good and all that… Jazz.” You let out a little chuckle and nodded to Hailfire. She was still stifling her laughter.

“Seems good, lemme know, dork. I’ll be waitin’..~”

“Alright, uh, thank you, er, Mr. Dust.” With a light-hearted chuckle, Angel had hung up, leaving you with the phone in your hand and holding it to your chest for a brief moment, exhaling and holding your heart from beating out of your chest as it felt like it would’ve while Hailfire let out a laugh.

“Oh my god, Seb, you are so shit. He said yes?!” Her expression was filled with joy and delight. Genuinely, despite her usually teasing, or even antagonistic demeanor.

You looked at her and shook your head. “Yeah, he really did, goddamn, where do I even take him?”

“Anywhere, sounds like you’re gonna have a good night regardless..~”

You had finally started up a little bit of a blush. “Ugh, this is stupid. Alright. I’ll think of a place… I guess you made the right call. If you weren’t here I wouldn’t have ever done that or I’d have just texted him.” You flopped down right beside Hailfire, watching whatever was on the TV. Snacking on some potato chips she tore open in front of you both.

“Told you, dipshit. You gotta let loose every now n’ then.” Hailfire concluded her sentiment with a chip tossed into her mouth and messily chewed as she focused on the TV and turned on the volume once more.

You eventually went to bed long into the night as Hailfire ended up to be a drooling, snoring mess on your couch. You tucked a pillow under her neck and went into your room. Casting off your shirt and flopping into bed as you gazed out your window to the left of your bed. Seeing the distant skyscrapers in the distance and the city lights shimmering and glittering amidst all the fire and chaos of life down here. A solemn frown on your face. Not because of sadness. But hope rang in your heart for a better encounter. You knew full well romance wasn’t likely. But… That emotion, hope, and a yearning, still swelled in your chest. It was a start for something new, and hardly ever tried, to do better. “Not gonna mess up…” You softly whispered to yourself. And slowly shut your eyes closed with thoughts of where to go on a date coursing through your mind. And how you were going to get through this without being a mess. And what the future held. But above all else? You steeled yourself. You could do whatever you were going to do tomorrow. Have a nice date, a nice time, and go back to your usual routine. A flicker of hope burned defiantly within you for your slumber whether you liked it or not.


	4. Gasoline

The planning seemed rather quick. Even as hundreds of different ideas were going through your head texting back and forth with Angel, he seemed to make it so simple.

“Good morning Angel! So, after sleeping on it, last night I was thinking there were plenty of places where we could go depending on what type of food you like! I enjoy Mexican, Chinese, Italian especially, that’s my favorite!”

The text back was quick, within the next two minutes.

“hey baby, good morning whatever ya think would be best i like pasta and could use a day to cheat off my diet <3 <3 <3” And that was that.

“Okay! Sure, uh, how about that big Italian place downtown in the West part of the Pentagram?”

“sure thing sugar xoxo, at 8 sound good? be sure to be there.”

He must’ve been used to arranging thing with clients. Knew how to be straight to the point! “Yeah, definitely, setting reservations right now!”

“see you then cutie <3”

You had set down your phone right beside your keyboard and began to do just as you promised, set reservations. You had been saving money for a while. Not for anything in particular, you were just naturally frugal… And there were a million things that could go wrong in Hell so it was best to have a safety net of funds just in case you got mugged, or stabbed, or mugged -and- stabbed. You know, what you’d expect. Once done, it was just a matter of biding your time and mentally preparing for the night to come. Upon leaving your room to grab yourself a glass of water, you realized that Hailfire had gotten up and headed on to her own place earlier this morning or later last night. Either way, you were on your own to prepare for the big night.

And prepare, you certainly did. An hour before you had to head on out you had begun to dress up for the occasion. You wanted to dress to impress and you took out your one, singular, somewhat formal outfit. A white button up shirt, some black slacks. Dress shoes, and a red and black striped vest. All together, as you admired yourself in the mirror, you thought you looked rather dapper! And you just hoped that you weren’t over-doing it. This may be a bit cheesy to someone like Angel Dust, perhaps, but, hey! You thought you looked good. Your hair combed, brushed, tidied up between your horns. Looking very straight-laced, but you made it work. With a smile and nod to yourself in the mirror, brushing your hand over your horn one last time to examine yourself, you turned, took up your wallet and keys, and left your apartment for the Italian Restaurant an hour early. And you’d end up waiting an extra half-hour by the door for Angel to arrive. You always showed up early. Being timely and never late was something you always committed to even if it looked to be a paranoid thing to do. But for this? You figured you couldn’t be paranoid enough, sitting by a bench in front of the place idly on your phone. Watching the cars zoom past and listening and seeing the groups of people going back and forth, in and out. Watching and looking for that pink and white fluffy hair and fur.

And then you saw him, walking from far down the street just barely having turned the corner. He had been dressed up and fully prepared himself for this occasion. Adorning a different outfit than the one he had been wearing when you first saw him. Drastically different actually. The pink and white hues had been joined with a red dress that weaved around his body tightly and doing much to exaggerate his naturally feminine features. Strutting confidently with a big old smirk spreading across those cherry red lips as he laid eyes on you. He was in drag. The full get-up. And you couldn’t help but feel a smile spread across your cheeks, and the familiar warmth of being flustered flood your face. He was beautiful, and that was saying the least. You weren’t sure you could put it to words. His eyelashes fluttered and you could’ve sworn his eyes themselves sparkled. At least to you, he was like a star. Angel approached and hummed fondly, looping his arm around yours and looking from you to the Italian place of your choosing. The packed 5-star restaurant had been expensive, but it would be worth it, you sure. “Hey there, baby. Not a bad pick… I love this place. And you look rather strapping and handsome yourself.” Angel had spoken smoothly to you. His feminine voice was in full flare, and… Rather convincing. It was him, just, seamlessly effeminate.

“Wow… Thank you! Uhm, I think it’ll be a good night. You look beautiful Angel.” The words just came out on a whim. Speaking from the heart regardless. You couldn’t get anymore flustered anyways, right? “Wanna head right on in? It’s a bit cold, and I have reservations all ready to go!”

Angel gave a nod and maintained his warm, affectionate smile your way. His eyes regarding you with as far as you were concerned, with utter adoration. “Of course, darling. Lead the way.” He stayed content at your side. One arm looped gently around your own, the other on the same side of his body pat your shoulder and then rested at his side. You took a deep breath and walked on in, with Angel in tow. The sounds of a piano playing, and the rain tapping on the windows against the lobby immediately hit your ears, and the gentle flickering of natural candlelight, warm colors of reds and oranges and browns filled your eyes. It was a pretty place, just like the online pictures showed. A minotaur had been standing at the reception podium and was dressed up in a rather spiffy casino. His bored gaze flickered up and he spotted Angel Dust and adorned and amused smirk. Then looked down and looked surprised at the little Imp standing beside Angel. His head tilted and looked with a semblance of scrutiny for a half-second, but proceeded to adorn a humble smile, and spoke with a deep, gentleman’s voice. “Reservations?”

You stepped forward and nodded. “Yep. The name’s Seb and also for Angel Dust.” You gave a nod and a smile. Your arm looped confidently around Angel’s. The Minotaur nodded and bowed his head, stepping out from behind the desk with menus tucked under his arm. Expecting you to take lead, and you had. Walking into the main dining room where the sound of conversation filled the air in the spread out tables, both big and small. As you walked alongside Angel, he was smiling with utter content delight. You felt eyes starting to slide onto you, you saw them. Many curious, piercing eyes that had you feel a bit intimidated. You certainly felt the gravity of what you were doing tonight now. Going out on a date with Angel, it was kind of a big deal. The question remained burning in your head. Why would Angel go out with you, a run of the mill, weak, Imp?

The kind, burly host had pulled both chairs out on a small 2-person table and helped Angel, and yourself sit down. And spoke once more, sliding the menus before the 2 of you. “Take your time to find what you enjoy. I’ll come back to check on you. Enjoy your evening.” He bowed his head once more and walked away, leaving you and Angel to himself. Angel leaning forward and with a hand on his chin was staring at you with a particularly mischievous expression on his face. 

“Heh, what’s uh… What’s up?” You asked, hard to hide your flustered nature.

“Relax baby. People are gonna stare. It’s what they do when I’m around. And if you’re around me you’re gonna get judged. Don’t worry, I’m gonna get shit for it, not you.” Angel responded. Through that confident smile his words spoke with a light-hearted demeanor, but they were meant to, and successfully, get you to relax.

“Right. Sorry, I… I just don’t get the reason as to why you’d accept this at all. I think you’re wonderful but I’m just some random Imp, ya know? It’s just… Yeah, you know.” You let out a little huff. Angel looked left and right and shrugged.

“You’re cute, Seb. That’s all there is to it. And we’re havin’ a good time. And we’re gonna have a better time..~ So keep bein’ cute. That’s all I gotta ask, sugar. Enjoy the night and whatever happens.” Angel spoke with a consoling tone. Wasn’t the first time he had a timid, shy client. Wouldn’t be the last time either. “I don’t care if you’re an Imp or not. Imp’s ain’t as bad as people say. They fuck pretty good.” He shrugged, simply so.

You smiled at that. Despite it being so blunt, it was endearing, in its own way. He was endearing. “Thank you.” You said following a deep inhale. Exhaling slowly, you started to examine the menu lit by the candlelight in your hands. Speaking as you did. “Thanks for being patient with me, uh, Angel. I’m awkward, but, getting better at it ‘best I can. What are you, uh.. Planning on getting it?” You asked, wishing and moving to shift the conversation forward. Taking in a breath and standing straighter as you examined the menu yourself over the mana options. Mainly looking towards the nice pasta options.

“Mm,” Angel mused to himself. “Sorry, haven’t looked, been too distracted by your cute ass.” He had lifted up the menu deftly. Fluttering his pink gaze as he finally turned his gaze from you to the menu. Searching over the options himself after leaving you with that bit of flattery. “Yeah, I’m gonna go ahead and get some alfredo. Been too long since I could really just chow that shit down.” He set his menu down carelessly, dropping it on the table and looking to the waitress, as she brought over and poured some water for the two of them out of a pitcher.

“Would you two enjoy some drinks this evening?” She had asked, adorning a smile to you.  
“Yes please. Ah, could I get some…” You briefly looked over at Angel, who’s multi-colored eyes flickered over to yours almost instantly. That content smile spread over his face, inspiring an answer from you just right away. Go with instinct. “Red well-aged wine? Whatever you can manage.” You finished. Nodding your head in confirmation.

The waitress nodded. “And do we know what we’d like tonight, gentleman?”

You gave a quick nod. “Yep, I will have the broccoli Tortellini.”

Angel hummed. “Chicken alfredo dish please, babe. Thank you.” She smiled courteously and took both menus after hearing and writing down their orders, walking on off with her sharp pointed tail sliding behind her.

You turned your gaze to Angel and rested your hands in front of you. “So, I mean. I guess I already know about your job, so, what do you like to do in your spare time? I can see that musicals are at least one thing! I like them too, well, some of ‘em. I’m a lot more of a movie and video game guy myself.” Your words came off rather relaxed. It was cozy. The warm candlelight. Outside rain tapping against the nearby windows. The sound of murmured conversation around you. And his eyes on you? It was crazy, almost dream-like, but you were comfortable. This was simply, with just one word to describe, nice.

“Yeah, I’ve uh, been startin’ to get big into musicals and stuff! Wherever I can, anyways. Pretty busy jus’ keepin’ to myself and fuckin’ people though… Like good lookin’ gents like yourself.” Angel flashed a smile your way, hand sliding up his own chin leaning towards you, instilling within yourself a flock of aggressively fluttering butterflies. It was so easy for him to do. You chuckled, casting it away, your head spinning with several different thoughts and ideas.

“Well, that’s awful flattering and sweet. You’re a beautiful person yourself. So well presented just… Always. And I think hey, there’s a cool person under there too!” Angel tilted his head curiously at that, his smile faltering just a bit at your words. Immediately, you spoke again, clarifying. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I- yeah. Sorry, didn’t mean to dig. I was just wanting to say I bet you’re cool, don’t really know you much and I would like to more!” You rigidly closed your hands together on your lap. He smiled towards the end of that.

Curious. This guy wasn’t a creep, and he wasn’t your typical sociopathic ego-tripping freak show either. Angel began to think this guy maybe wasn’t so much of a horny loser after all. “Relax,” Angel suddenly spoke out. “It’s okay. Yeah I’m pretty reserved. Just how I am babe. Ain’t gonna change for you.” He shrugged and maintained his smile. He was sweet. But many could be. Like a snake poised to strike. 

“It’s alright, thanks, it was worth saying.” You responded, nodding your head in understanding. Simple, fun night. All this was. A chance to get to know him, not that you would right away, you understood that fairly well. You were just prone to easily getting ahead of yourself or side-tracked. Finally, your meal came. The two of you, at that point in the evening went on to talk about your hobbies mainly as you ate. Angel spoke of his interest in Phantom of the Opera, saying how much he simply enjoyed the acting, and the story of it all. Which was brief. And you spent a lot of time talking about the various games and movies you loved. You did not, could not, get into all of it but you chose the ones that you liked that you hoped maybe Angel would be interested in checking out himself if he could. You weren’t sure if he would at all, but hey, he seemed to enjoy hearing about it other than the same old shit he heard about. Liking video games definitely wasn’t something that was normal down here. Usually it was psychos wanting to take over Hell or some bullshit or people who just wanted to fuck like hungry animals. Which would’ve served Angel Dust well, that was his usual clientele.

He didn’t really know what angle to seduce you from.

You both ended the date and rose up from your seats. You stepped forward to Angel and spoke with a genuinely adoring tone in your voice. Looping your arm with his and gazing up to him. Your own tail slid and curled up above the floor, animated and fluid in its movements. “That was wonderful, Angel. I really had a good time. Sorry if I was awkward at some bits.” You remarked, starting to take lead and walk Angel on out gracefully. He followed suit, gazing down at you and remaining quiet, a sly smirk on his face as you both had moved on out the doors and into the damp, rain-dripping streets. You looked to Angel and smiled. Unfurling an umbrella as you both stood out in front of the restaurant. You briefly gazed around the damp, reflective wet streets then turned up to him. You did feel the warmth of emotion flowing through you, but, it was a time to end it, as far as you were concerned. But before you could even speak, Angel took your face in his hand and smiled fondly. “Mmm… That was real nice, you sugary-sweet cutie. Why don’t you take me home and treat me to a real good time, huh?” 

Your heart skipped a bit. Or several. You blinked several times as his robustly seductive gaze remained locked into your eyes without a hint of hesitation or deceit. He was truly suggesting… -That. Sex. You felt your legs weaken and your mind just felt like it was overwhelmed by a warm fog. He was serious. You could feel the heat wash over your face. Your head, your clockwork head, worked overtime as so many ideas and fantasies, but likewise, worries and concerns flooded through your mind. But you spoke, hardly without thinking. How could you say no? “I- Oh, y-yes. Absolutely.” 

Angel smirked and hummed. “Why don’t you drive me to your place, huh? I’ll get to work seeing how cute you really are hot stuff…” His hand gently slid over your chest. Another arm still looped with yours. Your feet pushed forward as if out of your control. A smile spread across your face, clearly flustered as you returned to your car, Angel Dust sliding into the Passenger seat. And his gaze always sizing you up on the full ride home. Your head swimming with thoughts and ideas, murky and syrupy sweet. But also hesitations and doubts that were all too normal for your ever-rushing head were seeping their way in too. Growing more and more loud by the minute. You turned over and adorned a brief smile to Angel as you drove. Your heart swelled. But your reddened features and light sweat starting to slide down your forehead despite the AC being up revealed your inner fears.

Angel reached a hand out, his hungry, lecherous gaze piercing in and digging into your very soul. Excitement and eagerness rushing through you as well. Adding to the conflicting emotions. 

“It’s alright, Seb. Let me take care of you tonight.” Angel’s voice swooned fondly.


	5. Ignite

With a sudden push of Angel’s hands pushed up against your hips, your back was shoved up square right up against your door with an audible thud. Your heart beating sounded like a war drum in your ears, rapidly thumping away as your lips had seemingly so naturally pushed and reciprocated the aggressive, focused, and fond loving kiss Angel pressed up against you. One pair of arms on your hips, the top-most pair on you, curling up with hands digging into your back, and the third, usually concealed pair, was overall keeping you close. His right, lowest hand you felt was digging into your pockets, fishing out your keys and starting to unlock your door. You were on cloud 9. The heat and passion folding potently around you and within you as his lips met yours, distracted you from everything that he was doing. Holding you in his arms all the while shoving your keys into your door and unlocking the way into your apartment. Shoving them back into your pocket, Angel twisted the knob with his other hand and pushed, and walked you inside, still holding this lecherous and heated kiss with a profound grace, even as you stumbled and nearly tripped over yourself he had easily kept his grip and scooped his other two arms underneath to your lower back. Parting the heated kiss and drawing his lips, and tongue, away from you. Saliva starting to form had dripped off his lips onto your shirt. He spotted that and let out a chuckle.

“Mmm…” Angel had slid the door shut with his foot. Still holding you as you couldn’t help but gaze up at him with what must’ve been the goofiest smile, you were certain, and you could feel a powerful blush burning across your cheeks.

“Why don’t you show me to your room big guy..? Let’s get this party -really- started.” His voice swooned in anticipation as he pulled you back on up to your feet and let you go. You exhaled shakily and nodded swiftly, carrying your feet forward and having to try not to stumble underneath the weight of all the emotions and feelings you carried. Was this right? Was this good? It felt good? But… You weren’t certain. You saw Angel and really saw someone you craved the attention of, beyond just a one-night stand. A fling. You weren’t even certain if it was a relationship either. You just wanted… A bond. Something close. Something sacred. Something nobody else can claim. It didn’t need to have a label. It just had to feel right. Feel cozy. Feel -safe.- You hadn’t experienced such a genuine kindness and chemistry, or even such a loving touch like this in so long. As your head swam with thoughts, your hand twisted open the knob of your door, and stepped on inward, only to feel Angel’s hand slide over your shoulder. 

“Angel…” You started, turning to face him at his touch.

“Shh…” He swooned softly. His other right hand shutting the door behind him. Angel’s left hand raised up and took off his bow tie, it was something that was clipped into place. And tossed to the corner of his room. His final hand slid over your waist and pulled you in closer. His right hand soon joined your other half, pulled into his embrace as he tilted his head and leaned into gently, softly kiss you. His lips caressing yours with the utmost care and tenderness to it. Perfect. Soft. -Knowing.- Angel pulled away gently and spoke on. “You don’t have to worry, sugar… We are gonna go nice and easy. You a top or a bottom, babe..?”

“Bottom, I...”

“Say no more.” Angel interjected, pulling his top off, and, while they weren’t breasts, the fluff really did tend to poof the second that thing was peeled away and also promptly discarded to the corner of the room. His bare chest, and rather slender and fit torso all revealed to you. You couldn’t help but cave in more to the waves of being flustered before him. Though more and more your heart beat heavily, your head drummed up a thousand more thoughts of worry and concern. Your anxiety really couldn’t be spiking at a worse time, you thought. Only to have that train cut off as Angel had leaned forward and pushed you onto your bed, flat on your ass. You let out a gasp and pushed your hands back to keep you from outright falling all the way to your sheets. Angel strutted forward with a devious smile spread all the way across his handsome, pretty face. Hands easing onto your shoulders as he had moved forward and onto your lap. Straddling your waist and cherishing your head with one hand, while the others gently rested themselves on your knees, to support -himself.- There was plenty rubbing up directly against your core. That warmth spread all throughout you and intensified as Angel pulled your head into his fluff. Chuckling with shameless and vocalized mirth.

“Mm, there ya go baby… Just relax, relax as I get this all figured out for ya hm..~? I feel you so stiff there… I think ya ne-”

Your arms reached out and tugged firmly around his back. Hugging him close as your face pressed firmly into his chest. Angel tensed, suddenly, his mind instantly trailing to pull the knife out of his boot. But… Didn’t feel a knife in his back. Just hands pressed flatly against his shoulder blades. Angel looked down and pulled his hands off your head, as your face remained buried in his fluff. Holding him close. Warm, hot tears starting to run down your face. And Angel certainly felt it. And saw it as your head lifted somewhat. Lips parting to speak as your yellow, puffy eyes fluttered open again.

“I-I’m so sorry, I… I’m sorry, I didn’t… I didn’t mean to cry, I just…” You couldn’t finish it. You tried to stifle it. The surging waves of emotion growing within you beat the arousal by miles. The tears, welling up, having tried to be stifled for several minutes just broke and unleashed like a damn shattered by the earth itself. There was no stopping it. It had to come out. And you -hated- yourself for it. Seething humiliation welled up inside of you at this outburst. Angel’s head tilting as you stared into his chest, his being… You began to explain further. “I haven’t felt someone’s touch like this in so long. So soft, so… wanting. Craving. I’ve just been…” Your voice was soft, and you were trying not to choke. Feeling his eyes on you. Judgemental, embarrassed, uncomfortable, you did not know, but you guessed. “I’ve just been trying to survive every single day. With the world… Hell… Battering against me. Angry customers… Pushy friends. Getting sneers and glares and shoved and shouted at and stolen from and beaten and battered and worn down by the chaos and endless turmoil and betrayal and numbness of it a-all I just…” You cut off, letting out a pained sob as you pulled yourself into his chest once again. Shuddering and concluding. Your voice is slightly muffled, but well heard.

“I just want to pretend the world is okay. For one night. With you.” You said, with washing sobriety washing over your face as you gazed up at Angel. His uniquely colored eyes did not hold judgement or embarrassment or discomfort… His eyes held sympathy… And wonder. Curiosity. The spider demon paused a moment, gaze flickering down at the space between you two as he had fallen still, your words so adamantly distracting him from the body he was so passionate to toy with and explore… Then back up to you.

“...Wow… I... “ He struggled to find the words. Angel seemed to be at a loss. You were certain you messed it up in that instance. All over. He’d leave and never see you again. But… He lifted his head and smiled. Pulling your head in gently with one hand and planting a kiss on your forehead. Speaking softly as he rested his chin on your head. Your eyes staring forth into that fluff as he spoke. “I’m sorry, Seb. I’m real sorry if I put too much weight on ya metaphorically speakin’. Let’s roll it on back… I’d love t’spend the night. I think you could use it… I…” He looked over to the nightstand. About to say something else but shook his head, continuing. Sliding on back and standing upright before you. One hand on his hip, the other stroking his chin looking you over. “I get it, Seb. I do.” He explained, a frown coming over him, as a clawed hand reached over and gently pushed away a tear that had long streamed and stained your reddened, flustered face. “You uh… Imps, really get it rough. And I may just be a whore but I see it, definitely… So let’s just do that. One night. You n’ me… We’ll just… Chill. Rest together… I think we could both use it. Whaddya say..? It’d be nice to have a nice where I don’t gotta dick someone down…” He leaned forward and cupped your face in his hand, you couldn’t help but let out a weak laugh and smile. He smiled in response too, that golden sharp fang glistening. “There ya go toots… That’s what I like to see.” He leaned in and casually pecked you once more, before sliding back and still taking his pants off. Stripping down to just his underwear. Tight fitting boxers. He looked at your reaction, but… You were okay with it. Giving a quiet nod and crawling on backwards onto your bed. Starting to make the room you could as Angel had sat on the edge of the bed, taking off his boots and socks. Then finally sliding up beside you, pulling the blankets immediately over you and himself.

Angel’s arms wrapped themselves around you under the blankets that comforted the both of you, thick and cozy. His upper pair of arms sliding over your chest, and the lower pair, your stomach. Holding and nestling in close to you. Easily becoming the big spoon whether you’d accept or decline. But most likely accept, after all that. Angel’s breath washed down your neck for a moment as he thought what to say, what to do. Even you were kind of… Winding down, quietly enjoying the moment. There were few words here. Only actions, empathy, and trust… Angel lifted his head up and gently pecked your cheek. Then slid himself back to his pillow. “I want you to rest well, Seb. I’ll be here for ya. Hope your alarms are off. I want you sleepin’ in.”

You blinked and lifted your hands out immediately. Grasping and reaching for your phone in your pants that were discarded when Angel’s were. Pulling it out and sliding the three alarms set to off. Angel nodded in approval as you put the phone, and your wallet while you were at it, on the nightstand by your bed. “Good boy.” He swooned, still getting his teasing in even despite that. You smiled sheepishly looking inward to your pillow, then rolling over in Angel’s arms and gazing up to him. This wasn’t a dream. This was real. And no matter how temporary it was… You couldn’t ask for anything better. You were content. With company. Someone who cared. And that was all you could ask for. “Thank you, Angel Dust.” You said certainly. Nestling up into his chest, making a move on your own as you laid against him. Angel moved onto his own back and smiled. Wrapping his arms and adjusting them around your shoulder and under your neck, sighing fondly as his head leaned back, and his eyes closed.

“Goodnight, cutie…” Angel responded, as your eyes drew to a close, and you… Fell, fast asleep. That fluff was more heavenly a pillow than anything else, even if you had to itch your face a few times. But Angel adorned a soft frown as he kept his eyes open a bit longer. Lost in quiet, contemplating thought. Until he too, went to bed. Leaning his head into yours and slowly drifting off to sleep, with the quiet ambience of the distant city life coming in through the cracked window… For once, everything seemed like it was okay. Safe. Your room was just a little ball of warmth and comfort. One little gleaming beacon of light in a sea of darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning your eyes stirred, fluttering softly. The pentagram in the skies, or… Just the “suns” crimson rays glowed with yellowish brightness. You could see them just barely, indicating it was early morning. As your vision focused slowly, you realized you were alone in the bed. Not feeling that warm chest and that heart beating underneath you. Turning to gaze down at the end of the bed you saw a figure standing and holding up… Your wallet. Angel was quietly fiddling around and sorting through the bills inside. A frustrated look on his face as he did so. Muttering under his breath.

“Come on, come on, come on…” He bitterly mused. It wasn’t enough. It just wasn’t enough. Not for one night. This was stupid. Angel began to feel a surging feeling of regret and anger filling him at the prospect of going back with barely anything.

“Hey…” You spoke out, a somber frown dragging along your face. Angel turned and widened his eyes, flinching at that. He was about to speak, but you continued on. “It’s… It’s okay. You gotta make ends meet, right? I… Know that might not be enough, and I don’t have a lot, but… You can keep it, okay?” You had forced an understanding smile, clearing your throat. Of course that’s all it was. But you kept that thought hidden. Hidden under a thick, extremely convincing layer of apathy and genuine carelessness in that moment. Flashing an understanding smile, tucking it all away for him. “I hope it helps somewhat.”

Angel stared at you and then down to the money. Rubbing over it and folding it up, shoving it in his bust. He was all dressed up again. Exhaling slowly. He looked left, right, as he had set the wallet down and sighed. “Yeah… Thanks. I… I’m sorry, just-”

You shook your head and waved your hand dismissively, keeping up that convincing smile. “No, it’s alright, seriously. You have to. I just hope it helps you, okay? I… Had a wonderful night, and hope you did too.” Angel felt embarrassed. Humiliated. Annoyed. This asshole skimped him, cried all over him, and just wanted to hug and cuddle, vent his feelings to him and didn’t even have enough money for a full session? What possessed Angel in that instance, in that time he met him at the damn mall, he wondered? The spider demon had just nodded and walked on out of the room with that and his thoughts. He couldn’t hide his flustered annoyance on his face. How was he going to explain this? A moment of weakness for some stupid, emotional, needy, Imp? He took off with a clear huff along with your money. You tilted your head as you watched, and heard him leave your home. Letting out a little sigh and rubbing your hand over your face… Of course that’s all it was. Your self-scrutiny and punishment for being so naive filled your head as you got up fully. Sliding your hands over your hair and horns and gazing out the window with a sigh, speaking aloud. “Well… It’s a day off, anyways…” You remarked, failing to even convince yourself of your usual prevailing optimism. You were just a customer. And it… Admittedly stung, for someone who seemed so empathetic and understanding. Just another person to add to the biting blows against your loving, perhaps naive outlook on life… Or at least this afterlife, anyways. It was Hell after all.


	6. Faith

Angel had taken a taxi back “home.” Not the hotel, either. His… “real” home. Valentino’s studio. Sitting in the back seat, Angel’s multi-colored eyes gazed out to the streets thinking of the client he just walked out on with his hands in the cookie jar of his wallet. And was… Forgiven, understood? That little fuckin’ sap… Angel’s eyes drifted downward in thought during his drive. It was either that, or thinking about how pissed Valentino was going to be for an unsuccessful night out. Seb barely had nearly a hundred bucks in his wallet and that wasn’t nearly enough. But it’s all he had, so he had to try to work it as he did last time. Kiss ass, apologize, sincerity. He mentally braced to endure whatever humiliation he had to just get him off his back as the taxi pulled up to the tall studio building. The front of the building was kind of a mess probably due to last night’s parties as Valentino always enjoyed at his studio. Angel pushed the door open and stepped out, tapping and leaning into the car from the front window. “Send the bill to Val.” He said, tapping the door and leaning back and taking a deep breath as the car zoomed off. 

Angel marched forward with a strut in his step as he pushed the double doors open. The security guard just inside at the lobby chuckled, the large bull demon smirking to Angel. “Fun night, Angie?”

“Fuck you.” Angel said with a rather embittered tone, inciting another laugh from him.

“Naughty naughty, Angie. Go right on in~” He had lifted his hand up and pressed the little button behind the little lobby desk, the doors to the elevators beside him unlocked. Angel walked around the desk and through them, hitting the button to call the elevator and then patiently waiting in front of the doors, letting out a little sigh. Angel lifted his right hand up and dug it into his chest fluff, it made a surprisingly good pocket. He had tugged out the wad of money he folded up from Seb’s wallet and gazed it at it one more time before the elevator doors had opened up. Angel had stepped on in and kept clutching the money hopefully as he ascended up into the main part of the building where Val waited… Not so patiently either.  
Upon getting to the top floor, the muted sound of conversation was heard on the other side of the door. And when the doors had opened up two demons in suits looked to Angel and raised a brow as Angel shoved past them with complete disregard. They scoffed in disgust and brushed off their suits as if the coffee they held had been dropped and spilled all over their fancy stupid suits. Angel’s expression visibly hardened to all of them, he only had to kiss one guy's ass if he ever had to help it… Walking past them, Angel walked into the studio and was immediately meeting Valentino’s gaze across the room. A wide smile spreading so, so very wide across his face tilting his head towards you, both arms wrapped around 2 of his whorish cronies that he loved to stick to during his photoshoots or nights at the club…

If it wasn’t him straddling his lap, it was those 2 ladies. They also smirked Angel’s way like predators to cornered prey. Angel let out a slow exhale and strutted forward, a smile creeping across his face as he approached his seat, his throne. “Hey, Mista Val! How’s it goin’..?”

“Mmm…” Valentino let out a slow exhale from his cigarette, the crimson, luminescent smoke swirled and flowed into the air as he locked eyes with Angel, still maintaining that smile. “Going good, Angel Cakes... Better if you have the money for me, baby.” He had sat up straight, beckoning Angel closer as the girls slithered away from him to give him some room. Angel automatically moved forward at his finger waving, getting closer while he started to explain. 

“Well, Val, I met this cute lil’ Imp. Guy looked to be one a those straight laced fucks, so I ya know, fucked ‘em, but he didn’t have as much as I thought, and I didn’t have a lotta time left but, I can get ya double next week Val, if-” Valentino started to chuckle, cutting Angel off mid-sentence, smoke flowing up from between his sharp teeth then speaking -very- slowly and carefully, baby talking Angel.

“Angie, Angie, Angie… You’ve been behind for 2 weeks in a row baby! You know what that means usually…” Valentino had sighed softly, clenching one of his fists, gazing to it for a thoughtful moment. The visible tension and anger alone in that single clenched up fist out of the several he had made Angel shudder. His lips quivered, and parted to speak again, but Valentino continued. His anger, very well contained. “But I’m all for forgiving. You’ll be getting exactly double and I’ll help you out a bit with that darling…” He snapped his fingers, Emerging from the shadows, having been leaning against the wall was a large, round figure that stepped into the light was revealed to be a large turtle. One with dark red skin, and a huge shell that was spiked and sharply edged. Upon stepping into the light and sizing up Angel, a huff escaped his nostrils, and the sharp edges of his shell lit up and glowed a -very- vivid red. Thousands of degrees confined entirely within that razor shell. 

“Yeah, boss?” His deep voice grumbled, large arms crossing over one another as Valentino took another drag of his cigarette, then exhaled. Looking over at his accomplice.

“Val, Ludwig..~ No need to be so formal, baby. I want you to listen to Angie and find the one that skimped him out on his payment and break that little Imp’s fucking knees. Rip of his tail, and bring it back to me for proof..~” Valentino huffed and looked to Angel, and gestured his hand, waving him to continue. Angel’s heart sank at this. He expected a beating. More humiliation, or… Just doing something horrifically degrading for Val. He had always reserved the tears for after. Saved the stress and anguish for after. But this? Ratting Seb out to this fucking big fucking turtle just for not having enough?

“What, I--”

“Angel…” Val’s head tilted as his voice crooned, glaring and locking daggers to him once again. Angel winced and coiled tighter around himself. “Tell. Ludwig. About your little Imp fucktoy last night.” Angel exhaled closely. Val’s hand tightening again on his seat. Watching Angel as he forced a smile and spilled all he knew about Seb. He was a retail worker at the largest mall in downtown, lived in a shoddy apartment not too far away from it either and drove a pretty shitty, dingy car. All that he knew, as little as he did, was told to Valentino and his henchman with candid honesty. Valentino purred towards Angel. “Good boy. Ludwig… Find that little fucker.” Val’s sharp talon gestured and beckoned Angel over. And he climbed up upon his lap and joined him for the rest of the photoshoot.

Afterwards, Angel retreated back to his dressing room and shut the door, pushing his back against the door, rubbing his hands over his face and cursing under his breath. Slinking back down against the wall, Angel quietly condemned his own actions. Shame, embarrassment, and fury boiled up in his veins almost as much as the growing need for a hit. A hit he just didn’t get enough of tonight. Valentino stringing him along as usual… But what he did tonight was fucking pitiful. Angel rose up, jaw tightening and fists clenching as he walked over to the upright mirror in the corner of his dressing room. Standing in the dim lighting and gazing to himself, seeing the tension and frustration all over his face. The guilt and the burden weighing him down… As his eyes stared into his own, he drifted them shut and thought about last night… Resting his forehead up into the glass, exhaling slowly.

Flashes of what they had shared flipped through his mind. Wrapped up quietly and snug, holding that smaller imp close up into his chest wrapped and surrounded by warm, comfortable blankets. Feeling the small, slow, rested breathing of him in his arms. The sound of rain gently pattering against the window right by his bed as Angel gazed out above his horns to the city pulsing and glowing in the distance. The flashing blinding lights of the spotlight were far, far away. And it felt safe in the dark with him… Had he meant it, Angel wondered? That he just wanted to pretend the world was okay for one day? Furthermore, did -Angel- want that? He really seemed to. He didn’t leave and walk out at lack of sex, no… He… He didn’t even get a chance to look at his wallet as he usually did. He really did just want one night of that. One night of peace. Of safety. Of stability… With a total stranger. Angel flickered open his eyes, a softness having filled them as he looked at himself in the mirror. His face slowly hardened. How could you? How could you take such a kind-hearted imp and throw him to the wolves? He asked nothing of you other than the thing you, as well, craved. You know more than anyone what its fucking like to live a life pretending that everything is fucking okay. And when you met the one person who seemed like they were able to truly understand, just, enjoy your company, you threw it away!

These thoughts burned into Angel’s head and made him snarl and slam his fist into the mirror, causing a crack to form and Angel to yank himself away. Lips tightening and teeth gritting together, fists clenching… His eyes shut tight as he shuddered and… And he couldn’t let this happen. He couldn’t let Seb get mauled by an oversized brute because of his fuck-up. Because of Val. Angel turned and looked to the mirror one last time, his eyes burning with rage and drive. It was stupid, he was afraid, and this was probably going to end horribly, but he had to try. Instead of just staying in the cycle of quiet suffering and temporary pleasure, he had to try to help Seb. Just had to fuckin’ try. Even if it meant laying low for a long fucking time in that hotel. And doing more “bad” shit.

...Maybe this was gonna just end with him getting killed. But for one more night of that stability, one more night cuddling that cute little shit? Angel grinned, stepping out of the dressing room, going down the elevator, and heading downstairs… Outside, and hailing a taxi to hopefully get after the trail of that overgrown Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lookin’ ass before he could get to Seb. He had to try. Through all the confidence and bluster, he hoped that the little should could keep his head down, maybe call in sick today. Anything to avoid that shelled freak, Angel worried privately.


	7. Rising Tide

You had been toiling away by your register as you usually did. Your slender-fitting self mostly leaning into your desk, and keeping your head down. Though you focused on your work and the little customers that came in, it wasn’t much of a distraction to keep you from your troubled thoughts. And your best friend Hailfire certainly seemed to notice how quiet and rather morose you have been. Finally, she decided to pipe up during a quiet moment in the stream of customers you had today. “So… Seb?” You looked her way, lifting a brow, your face neutral, and adorning a polite smile.

“Yeah, Hails?”

“What’s going on? You uh, never told me how it all went and I’ve been waitin’, but you didn’t speak up.” She spoke rather bluntly, her bright, radiant green eyes looking to yours with concern quirking strongly on her face. You couldn’t help but have your stony, cool exterior wither and rapidly crumble. Instantly noticeable by Hailfire’s empathetic self. You took a deep breath and began to speak, shrugging your shoulders in defeat.

“Well, we had a good night. I just want to say that. Angel’s… Really not as bad as people say. There’s a soft part of him and when I asked him not to push himself onto me, he didn’t. We just…” You cracked a smile. It was nice to remember. “We just laid in bed together at night, and it was the best sleep I have been able to get in… Well, years. And I’m not fuckin’ around, that’s all that happened. But, at the end of the night, and when I woke up in the morning I woke up to him fishing through my wallet…” You let out a little sigh, chewing on your tongue for a bit feeling the pressure of tears trying to escape fill your eyes. But you continued on, feeling embarrassment rush to your face above anything else as you finished your explanation. She was the only one you felt like you could really be honest to. Except Angel late last night of course. That was a whole different world. “I guess it was stupid, but I figured he really had a liking to me, I guess. Thought he liked how I was.” You shrugged. Swallowing your tears and lowering your head. Hailfire walked over from her register and placed a hand on your shoulder, pulling you towards her.

“Hey, look at me.” She said rather firmly. And you obliged, your eyes, wistful and wet, looking up to her. “Angel’s… Well, he’s a whore. It’s what he does but you weren’t wrong, man. You’ve been lonely for a long time but I just hope you had fun, okay? Did you?” She was trying to help. You shrugged.

“I just wanted more, even if it was stupid.” You said, your gaze looking down and away from her for a moment. Shame coursing through you for such a silly assumption.

Hailfire shook her head, her claws still resting on your shoulders still. “It wasn’t stupid! You just… You just have a big heart, man. And you really seemed to take a liking to him. Who knows what’s gonna happen, as long as you’re happy okay? How ‘bout you and me go out to a movie tonight? At my place, duh. I got lots of nice flicks to show still! We’ll have fun okay?” You let out a little sigh, shaking your head and chuckling. Your eyes wander the store as you respond.

“Yeah, I’m sorry, I don’t think that would be good tonight, I just think I need a night to myself, and--” Your gaze lifted up to a large shadow looming in the entryway. You cleared your throat, and Hailfire looked too and went back to her register as you both had straightened up back to your positions. This huge, round figure had trudged and marched on into the shop, barely able to wriggle between the clothing racks by the looks of his size. Thankfully they were on wheels, you lifted your finger up and smiled at the large, shelled gentleman. The black and red demonic, sharp-spined turtle was about to shove and knock over the clothing racks with his size. “Oh, sorry sir, I can move those real qui-”

He had lifted his arms and shoved the clothing racks down actively. The rack fell over and collapsed into a sunglasses display, knocking them and other various merchandise onto the ground in one rather sudden and loud chain reaction as he marched right up to you, smoldering red eyes burning as they glared right into you. “Shut the fuck up. Where’s the one called -Seb-?” He asked with a pair of grit-together teeth. You had sized this large, well-armed turtle up. On the interior of his large shell were two sawed off shotguns strapped in place. That was fucking terrifying to be hearing your name coming out of this massive thuggish turtle. And you never thought you’d be scared of a turtle. And you had no idea why the hell he was here looking for you. Hailfire was watching in confusion at the large shelled man as well. But, she had a good head on her shoulders. Before you could even speak, she answered.

“Uh… He’s off today, at home. Yeah.” She chuckled at him, which, given by his narrowing gaze, probably wasn’t the best thing to do.

“Really?” The large turtle asked, his hands slamming on the front desk and you got a really good look at his massive clawed hands. Or fists, in that case. “Because you, little fuckhead, look exactly like the guy boss said to look for and fuck up for not dishing out the right pay.” Before you could even part your lips to speak to your innocence, as you had an idea what this was about, and was not told about any little payment you had to give! But as these thoughts came to, you suddenly ducked under a swinging and grasping, meaty fist. Thank god you were already way smaller than this guy. Hailfire let out a curse and jumped over the register as the turtle lifted his body up and straight up crashed through your register and counter with ease. But thankfully, you anticipated this brute would do such a thing and had thrown yourself right back to where Hailfire was, only for her to grab and pull you over the counter, and barely were you able to land on your feet. Tail swirling quickly as she looked and pointed to the back door leading to the emergency exit.

“There! We can get out through there!” And just like that, she took off, and you were only one step behind. Only to hear tearing as the massive turtle hoisted up the entire crumbling remnants of Hailfire’s counter. He was about to hurl it at both of you, only for a loud screech to fill the air of the store. The very door you were about to flee out of swung open to let loose that torrent of hellish screeching. Nina, still dressed in her black work dress, was now in her full demonic form. The bat demon’s yellow eyes flaring wide, her leathery wings stretched openly as she crossed past both you and Hailfire, forcing the turtle to drop the counter on top of himself to cover his ears. Roaring in anger. Though the counter only made him have to shove it off. The sound was the more agonizing concern for him.

“You will NOT hurt these lazy fucking IMPS, that’s MY job you old FUCK.” Nina said firmly, looking back to you and Hailfire briefly. “Get the hell out of here! Don’t expect pay for baiting this shithead here, now fuck OFF Seb!” You looked breathaken, crawling backwards as Nina had dived forward and crashed into the massive turtle. Getting into the start of quite a hefty fight. But… Her rage seemed to be very short lived, as that very man took Nina and straight up tore her in half. Shock and a horrified gasp escaped your breath as Hailfire tugged at you and pulled you up and back out the door Nina had emerged from. “Come on! COME ON, we gotta go idiot!” She said swiftly, and you finally regained your senses. Rushing on out with Hailfire taking lead. Rushing on out urgently just as much as you were, fear flooded both of your senses. Caused by that turtle heard smashing through the door behind you and roaring.

“GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE SHITS!” They could see the roaring red edges of his shell illuminating the dark back corridor of the store. And saw that as he was rushing through the narrow hallway lined with clothes that were off the shelves, he was setting them ablaze, and setting up a literal actual path of hellfire on his way towards the two of you.

“Faster, faster!” Hail said, sprinting ahead, her tail swaying behind her as she rushed up to the emergency exit at the end of the corridor.

“Hailfire, I--!” You started, but was swiftly cut off as she had yanked the door open, staring you down firmly, as that massive turtle rushed towards the two of you, the flames brightening rapidly in the corridor, indicating his swiftly closing distance. You knew that only one of you was getting through that door. She had grunted and grabbed you, pulling you into the doorway then kicking you in the spine to push you forward, causing you to stumble into the concrete stairway that led up to the up to the parking lot. You looked back and saw the result of that charge, the metal door BUCKLING with a loud groan of metal, flames seen smoldering beyond it.

She… She didn’t… You couldn’t believe it. Rage and grief already began to well up within you, but you swallowed your despair, pushing aside the horrid visions of what just transpired on the other side of that door. Spurred by the second pounding of the metal frame, you lifted yourself up, tail flicking around at your ankles as you started to sprint up the stairs. Upon double-stepping up to the very top level, you shoved open the final door and slammed it shut behind you, panting in and out rapidly as you looked left and right desperately. You reached down to a bloodied crowbar left on the ground, likely used for just what you think it was used for, and jammed it into the door frame to buy yourself just a little bit more time. You started for a dead sprint across the parking lot as you heard the distant smashing of that door you just sealed behind you. Right to your car that was in its usual parking space, fishing your keys out of your pocket as you ran, tapping rapidly until you got at least several yellow blinks indicating the doors would be ready to swing open, which is exactly what you did, and slammed it shut as you jammed your keys into the ignition. Revving up your car desperately, the keys, in typical horror movie fashion, struggling to actually start the car as you saw that door bust open, and that turtle looking around before seeing the headlights of your car flashing on and off with the engine’s stuttering, and instantly starting to charge again!

“FUCK!” You exclaimed, then suddenly, with one strong twist, your engine flared to life, headlights flashing right away! You instantly put your car in drive and moved forward, adrenaline flooding through you as you initially went forward into the charging jaws of the beast coming towards you, only to bank a TIGHT left turn away from the charge and zooming down the alley of cars BARELY dodging the impact of his charge on you. But he did not give up his pursuit in the slightest. You saw in your rear-view his flaming red shell still onto you, smashing and driving through cars all by himself as you kept driving. In your panicked state you couldn’t at all find the fucking ramp, all discombobulated as you were in your current state of panic maneuvering between cars and dividers and walls! Just buying time to hopefully realize and recall where you were in the midst of the tight as fuck turns you were pulling. Only to accidently slam and bump into a light post on your side, briefly stopping you in your tracks. Lifting your head left, you looked up to see that massive turtle charging you right down! His grin wide as the devil’s itself as you felt your heart sink.

It was over. You were fucked. You were about to get to get your taste of total oblivion over some stupid fucking fling, some stupid fucking night out with a whore. Your boss, your best friend, dead because of how stupid you were in this instant. You deserve-

Suddenly, you heard an explosion that interrupted the stampeding demon in his tracks! Causing the turtle’s shadow to crumple over and get staggered by the sheer density of the explosion shattering against him! Then another, and another! Grenades whipped at him that seemed to go off instantly upon contact with that thick shell that turned to the mysterious grenadier. You huffed and pulled your car back going into reverse as that turtle had turned and looked around in fury as a familiar figure was standing by the turtle-shaped hole in the doorway from the stairwell. Angel Dust standing with several pink, skull-marked grenades in hand. Jostling them, while he held a machine gun in one hand, and two nine millimeter pistols in his other two open hands.

He flashed a grin to you in your car, but your expression probably and definitely remained to what it always was. Shocked, panicked, but it twisted into an embittered scowl looking at him. Anger not helping in the current situation, as you put your car in drive and started to zoom back around the parking lot. Angel nodded and exchanged a very brief back and forth with the turtle, before the turtle’s attention went entirely on the spider demon, who obliged by quickly opening up on Ludwig and starting to run. Though his shell proved impervious and resilient to much of the damage being dished out! You had, while they were exchanging blows and sweeping strikes and gunfire, as far as you were concerned, to run from this chaotic mess as it usually was with Angel’s destructive streaks, and you pulled up to the ramp that led down into the parking garage. Home free. Escape. You paused and exhaled slowly…. A rare instance of thought as you lifted your head and looked across the parking lot. Angel was pumping out bullet after bullet into the turtle, but he was not seemingly going down at all. And finally, despite Angel’s significant edge on speed and agility, the brute reached out and grabbed Angel by his leg and slammed him into the ground! Angel let out a cry of pain into the air before he was tugged up by all four of his arms squeezed together in that one iron first. You couldn’t hear any of the words spilling from that turtle demon, of course, but you saw the turtle sneer and bark down to Angel. Lifting one clawed hand up and baring those talons fiercely towards the battered and beaten spider demon.

You felt that familiar adrenaline surge within your belly again. Though this time it was different. It was not out of fear, it was not out of anguish at the loss of your friends. It was what you felt back down when Hailfire had saved your life. Anger. You didn’t deserve it. And despite your personal feelings, despite the anger you felt for Angel bringing all this down on your head as far as you were concerned… Neither did he. Good had to be done in the face of overwhelming wrongdoing, or the cycle would never end. You may be a damned soul, but you weren’t an asshole. You had principles you clung to even if Heaven didn’t weigh them for shit compared to what you did “wrong.” You tightened your jaw and slammed on the gas, engine roaring as you zoomed forward and turned right towards the massive turtle about to rip out Angel’s intestines right then and there. But turned to see your headlights, and you, drifting RIGHT into him! Angel was thrown aside as the turtle tried to slam his hands down onto your drifting car, but your backside rammed right up into him at top speed! Sending that turtle flying back into a roof generator, crashing into it and likely getting several volts of pain coursing through him, but you weren’t fucking done yet.

You had exhaled sharply and banked a full turn from that drift as Angel watched crumpled up on the ground, hands on his wrists and stomach, his face twisted in disbelief, far outweighing the pain he felt from this fight. You let out a roar as you shouted out in utter fury. “THIS IS FOR MY FRIENDS YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Once the car was going top speed, you pushed open the door and bailed out, rolling several times and likely catching some pretty bad cuts and scrapes as your car SLAMMED into the belly of that turtle. Causing more sparks to fly as he was further dug into the shorting generator. Your car's engine was smoking with its certain indication that it was totaled. You -still- were not done with your raging crusade, looking left, to a pair of grenades that Angel had on his person, and right to the half-broken crowbar you used to hold the door, you instantly got to work! You rushed over to the half crowbar and then rushed towards Angel, ripping the last grenades straight out of his hands, and activated them up with a push of a button, safety be damned. You rushed right up to the car-slammed turtle and slammed your crowbar over, nay, into his throat. Then jammed the active grenades into the smoking engine of your car! You gave one last glare to the turtle as he struggled to pull the crowbar from his neck, and he tried to struggle away from the impending explosion, but you were far more successful in that endeavor than he ever could hope to be, diving over to Angel as the grenades detonated, causing your engine to explode as well, along with the turtle himself, a massive explosion booming all across the city for -at least- several blocks. Your ears were ringing as you stayed staring at the ground in shock, breathing in and out raggedly as the adrenaline bled from your body. Feeling the heat and seeing the smoldering remains of your car in the corner of your vision as you just… Soaked in the recent events, your entire body trembling as you lifted your head up to Angel who stared right at you, panting as well, his face bruised and his hand still on his stomach. Widened in shock, he smiled your way and chuckled, huffing as he looked to the very much obvious evidence of Ludwig’s death. “H-holy fuck, Seb, you saved me… I can’t believe you did that! For a fucking Imp, you-”

“Shut up.” You said bitterly. Tears beginning to form in your eyes. “You killed my friend, you mother fucker! You sent that piece of shit here to get more out me more than you already got from me you fuck?! WHY ARE YOU HERE? YOU-” You started to shout, your shimmering eyes burning with rage as you looked up to Angel, only to hear a wheezing voice chuckling behind you. Hailfire’s voice strained but hitting your ears and instantly causing you to turn to see her limping towards you from the stairway.

“Pfft, you’re a fuckin’ asshole, think he coulda killed -me?-” She started chuckling and slumped over, falling to her knees. Her face oozing glowing orange blood from deep gashes within it. A large slash across her side as well that was charred and thankfully, but -painfully- cauterized. You rushed over as Angel watched you run off to her and kneel down to Hailfire, who collapsed onto her hands and knees. “Oh my god, Hails… You lived. Holy fuck, you lived! I was so worried…”

She waved you away, huffing. “Listen, I… I just need help, this hurts a shit ton, though I appreciate the concern…” She said, seething and shuddering in pain. Angel rising up behind you and limping over behind you two. “I… Yeah, we uh… We gotta get somewhere safe.”

“Yeah, w-we can take her to my place, get her patched up.” You said, holding her close in your arms and looking down in concern.

Angel shook his head. “Yeah, look, I… They know everything, okay? And after what we did... I did…” His face twinged in discomfort. Annoyance. “Look, I know a place, ya just gotta come with me okay? It’s a neat lil spot and it’ll be good and safe. And I’m sure someone there can help your friend. Which she might wanna stay there for a bit too… These guys are serious business, Seb.” 

You looked up to Angel with a bit of hesitance. But anger was still on your face, fully on display. “You want me to trust you… After all this?”

Angel exhaled slowly, annoyance definitely on his face as he tried hard not to say something stupid. “Look, I’ll… I’ll explain, alright? Short of it is, I’m a whore. I wouldn’t trust me either but what did you expect? I can tell you -I- didn’t expect it to all go down like this and I’m fuckin’ sorry, alright? But we gotta go. If you can carry her, I can walk us there. It’s a bit of a stroll but we can make it. Okay?”

You let out a little sigh. Hailfire looking up to you with weakness in her eyes. She was strong but she did need help, and if Angel’s rumored connections were anything to go by, he was right about laying low for a while. Even with him. Even despite your personal feelings and gripes with him, it seemed right. You turned and looked up to him after a moment's thought and spoke. “What is this place, where is it?”

“Just across town,” Angel responded. “Little dump called the Happy Hotel.”


	8. Vulnerable

It had been quite the walk heading towards this “Happy Hotel” Angel spoke of, and was leading the way towards it through the winding streets of Hell, the two imps in tow. You held Hailfire close and shook your head. “I’m sorry you’re hurting Hailfire, we’re almost there…” She shook her head, toughing it out and forcing a smile. “Ugh, it’s fine, man… Worst comes to worst I’ll just die. Try not to let that happen though yeah..? Hurts like a bitch…” She remarked, shaking her head. You nodded and spoke up to Angel who was turning the corner.

“And they’ll give us a world of hurt too won’t they? Your boss and shit? For what we did?”

Angel nodded. “That’s most likely.” He said, trying to mask his annoyance and internal conflicted thoughts. 

“What about this hotel? We’re gonna be safe here right? They can’t find us?” You asked, apparent fear tinging your voice.. And rightfully so. Endless torment at the hands of a lord of Hell that Angel was in service to? You didn’t want to imagine what kind of special torment Valentino would do to you or Hailfire… But Angel responded in kind, nodding confidently.

“More than hide. Even if he does find us, not like he’s gonna do much. Let’s just say we got some pretty big protection there. You wouldn’t believe me if I told ya, so… Yeah. Gonna have to just see for yourself.”

You shook your head. You hoped he was right. Already you could imagine Nina pestering you on end about you getting fired, but this time, she might be right. That guy was there for you and he made such a mess hunting you down. That’d be Nina’s logic. Once she returned to life you expected several angry texts. But that was the least of your worries. Right now you just needed a safe place to lay low for a little while you guess, that’s what usually worked. But this time it was different. It was against some crazy powerful lord of Hell with a very devoted band of thugs ready to inflict horrendous torture upon anyone who wronged their boss with a snap of fingers. So… With all the shit Angel’s brought down upon you and your best friend, you hoped he was right. You doubted your ability to hide and elude detection alone.

You were still reeling from the adrenaline and fury and conviction of the past hour. All starting to wear down on you as you walked and followed Angel down several more blocks. You never fought as much as other demons, because you were an Imp obviously, but also because you just wanted to try to find a good, simple life here. The best that you possibly could get doing modest and unnoticable work. And everything that you did for Angel in that moment, was something you still wondered was the right thing…. Sticking your neck out for people was something that punished you hundreds of times in life and in death, and only ended with you being taken advantage of or outright deceived. In Hell, that danger was far more present. You looked at the back of Angel’s head and thought to yourself for the rest of the walk.

Eventually, Angel called out and chuckled. Lifting all four hands up in delight and waved ahead towards a rather tall, and brightly lit building. “There it is! Home sweet home! Eh… Yeah.” He shrugged and looked back to your rather dower expression, still lugging the wounded Hailfire along and trailed off his light-hearted appraisal of the hotel. Shrugging. “Yeah let’s just get inside.” He concluded, walking up to the stairway and helping you get Hailfire up the steps fully, and then knocking on the door repeatedly, calling out at the building. “Hey! Vaggie! You there? Charlie?” He had knocked urgently, looking around. Incessantly knocking and not stopping. 

Seb was about to speak up, when the door suddenly burst open. A very infuriated demon with grey skin and long white hair all around her with a large red bow in it, covering one of her eyes, started out shouting. “SHUT UP, YOU CAN JUST KNOCK ONCE-” The woman looked out from scolding the annoyed Angel, to the 2 imps leaning upon eachother. Then back up to the Angel. “Who the hell are these guys, Angel?” She asked, Angel shrugged.

“Friends of mine. They need help. Figured you guys would be glad to.”

Angel walked right past Vaggie, who backed up against the front door and looked at you and and Hailfire. Speaking in protest as you followed after Angel. “Wha- Angel, you can’t just make this a place to have your friends slum in! This is a business, these rooms are for people trying to redeem themselves, you know this!”

Angel sighed and spoke in annoyance. “Yeah, lotsa business you got here. Listen, they need help and we’re all in a bit of trouble now so they need to lay low now.”

You spoke up to this ‘Vaggie’ as you sat and lay Hailfire down on a spare couch. “We’re not here to cause trouble… I promise. We just need to find a new place to hide but can you please help my friend? We’ll find somewhere new when we can but please… If you could, help us.” Your voice spoke with a genuine plea.

Vaggie paused to see the strain on your face but shook her head. “No. Your trouble is your own, Angel, you can’t go making us a target for whoever the fuck just because you-”

A voice broke out from atop the stairs, and standing there, you looked to see a face that anyone would recognize breaking out between them all to stop the argument. “Hold on, hold on!” Charlie Magne said with a raised voice, causing all the words that were about to erupt from the others to fizzle out as she raised her hands up. Dressed in an attire of a formal suit with a rather charming looking bowtie. She trotted down the stairs quickly, hand on the railing and approached the two imps. You gazed up at her and gulped.

“I… Your majesty, wow, I’m sorry, I would k-kneel, but…” The fear that pitter pattered against your heart that thumped heavily was dissuaded when Charlie knelt down before the two of you and placed her pale hand upon Hailfire’s forehead. She lifted her head up into it in weary confusion. Exhaling softly as Charlie’s hand began to glow a faint red. The pressure and pain and injuries that were dealt to her slowly began to close and clear up. Hailfire coughing in surprise and shock at the flood of restorative magic that filled her.

Charlie continued, adorning a smile to you and then rising up to address the others. “Vaggie… It’s okay. Let them stay a while. Maybe they’ll even have a chance to prove themselves able to help us. They just need to be safe for a bit, okay?” Charlie approached Vaggie who exhaled slowly as she felt Charlie’s hands rest upon her own. “And if not, they’ll go, okay? I promise. But we need help and we should give them a chance too, this may be good.” She smiled reassuringly down to Vaggie, who had smiled back up to her and nodded as Charlie departed from her and turned to Angel. “Angel- we’re really worried for you. You’ve been disappearing constantly, I’m glad you brought your friends here to help, but-”

Angel crossed his arms over his chest and sighed openly. Charlie, with astounding patience, continued on.

“-But, we can help you. I want to. I believe I can. But you have to work with me, stop getting into fights and please, stop going to that studio. You know that it only brings you back to-”

Angel scoffed, shrugging his shoulders. “It paid off this time didn’t it princess? Saved these 2. Brought ‘em here. That’s a noble quality isn’t it?”

He deflected, to which Charlie looked uncertain, but conceded. “Yes, that is… Good.” She said, looking over to you who was watching the whole exchange. Charlie cleared her throat and stepped forward to you both. Hailfire pulled away from you and nodded your way as she rose up to her feet, assuring she was okay. You decided to do so as well, and both of you, like clockwork, bowed her way. Charlie smiled, humored, but waved her hand dismissively. “No need for the formalities.” She held her hand out to you, and nodded. “I’m Charlie! Just so, and you?”

“Seb… Also just so, Charlie.” You had responded, picking up on her royal titles to be dismissed. It was a kindness, and he was gracious to not have to worry about titles.. The last thing he needed to do was piss off a potentially irritable noble, and was glad he was proven wrong. She exchanged greetings with Hailfire as well before speaking up once more.

“Seb, Hailfire, you’re welcome to stay here for the time being. Though for extended stay, you’re going to have to lend a hand, alright? The Hotel has plenty of space for you both to live in. But you’re going to have to generally er…” She looked around at the interior of the rather shoddy, freshly purchased hotel, shrugging. “For now, and I apologize, but scavenge for yourselves with your own cash. We’re still setting everything up, I hope that’s okay.” She flashed a big grin, hands behind her back.

You laughed somewhat and nodded. “It’s alright, I’m thankful enough you’re letting us stay… It’s good enough to keep our heads down, we’ll handle the rest.”

Hailfire nudged your side and grinned. “I’m doin’ the grocery shoppin’ first round. I don’t trust your ramen-eatin’ ass.” She remarked, laughing. You let out a little sigh as your gaze lingered about the room to Angel who was looking at… You. Your expression softened to match his own, a rather dour expression of… Regret was solidified on his face, but quickly broke when you made eye contact. Swiftly reverting to a hardened and embittered annoyance, turning away and going to light up a cigarette. You felt your heart sink somewhat…

There were things that would need to be talked about. At some point… He did try to save you today. And as hard a time you gave him, that was an undeniable fact… And it wasn’t right for you to assume so much of him to have a closer connection on a first date when he is a well-known prostitute… And with what you saw? He was struggling with a clearly threatening and dangerous group of employers too. Something to think about, you thought privately to yourself seeing him turn away and head over to an empty counter space on the far end of the room.

The next few hours were spent finding and settling into your two rooms for you and Hailfire. And also getting to talk to Charlie and Vaggie a bit more, learning about all their efforts to refurbish and make this Hotel into a place that would genuinely rehabilitate demons of all kinds, and learned that Angel was to be the first that they hopefully redeem and get to Heaven.

Even you weren’t certain of the possibility of that, but it was a nice prospect to think about, all things considered. And by the end of your conversation, and a hearty meal of mac & cheese that Hailfire went ahead and purchased to fill a gap in the largely empty kitchen pantry, you had let out a yawn and spoke up. “Hey Charlie, Vaggie, thank you again so much for your hospitality, but I think it’s time I go get some rest for the evening… We really can’t thank you enough.” Seb rose up and cleared his throat. Charlie gave a patient smile up to you, while Vaggie gave an uncertain expression your way.

“You’re always welcome, Seb. Thank you for being so surprisingly cordial for one of Angel’s friends.” Charlie said, seemingly not at all disguising her relief of that fact. “But… Seb?” She tilted her head as you were turning to leave, pausing to look her way.

“Be careful with Angel, okay?” She remarked, nodding her head, as if she knew. As if she knew the conflicted emotions within you. It sure felt like she could gaze right into your soul. Hell, she probably could. You exhaled slowly and let out a nod.

“Yes, Charlie. I… I will. It’s… Yeah. It’s complicated, but I’ll keep that in mind.” You nodded, and quickly took your leave up the steps. Hanging your head slightly. Did she know? One half of your mind insisted that it was obvious she knew, being the Princess of Hell. The other still was left wondering through as you climbed the steps to the second floor. You were walking down the corridor you walked earlier, and leaned in to check in on Hailfire, quietly knocking, and upon no response, opened the door to peer inside and seeing Hailfire halfway tucked in and getting a much needed rest. You let out a small sigh and walked in, fully tucked her in and cracked the window wider, gazing out and exhaling slightly to this whole different, but admittedly better view of the sprawling metropolis that was this part of Hell anyways… Even if it was a shithole of chaos, where the streets ran red with shameless and callous murder, abuse, and other crimes you didn’t even want to think about?

The entropy was beautiful to see from a distance. It truly was.

You stepped out of Hailfire’s room and shut the door quietly behind you, lifting your head down the hall to see a light on spreading into the hall somewhat. And a soft humming filling the awful quiet corridor. You stepped forward with your naturally quiet, soft-stepping feet, approaching the door and peering into the crack in the doorway to see Angel sitting at a makeup desk. Though he wasn’t applying anything, he was just looking awfully embittered as he gazed at himself in the mirror, brushing out his hair to the right shape for the evening. Simple touching up in the quiet late hours. You pulled your eyes away and exhaled slowly, shaking your head. You began to walk away from the room to your own, which was just across the hall when you heard Angel speak out to you from his seat. 

“Come back. Come in and shut the door, please.” He said, rather abruptly. And said -please.- His tone was completely and utterly serious it sent chills right up your spine, hearing something seemingly so completely out of character of him was such an oddity… And of him somehow sensing you were there. You gulped and turned, opening the door, stepping into the room and shutting it behind you.

It was warm. Cozy. Dimly lit in the nicest of ways with tinted christmas lights lining the ceilings… And the light from his mirror's border also helped in lighting the room. Your eyes gazing around the room noting its rather, current, barebones nature, but there were some posters on the wall of Angel’s own “movie” posters and such. Seeing him posed in various suggestive ways in various forms of undress. A pretty cozy looking large bed was pressed up against the wall. He gestured with his head for you to sit on it as he continued to gaze into the mirror, touching himself up. You… Gave a slow nod and walked on over to the bed, your tail curling around yourself as you eased onto the end of the bed, trying not to feel anxious, prompting Angel to swivel in his chair slowly and rest his hands on his knees, letting out a slow sigh and gazing to you across the space between the both of you. Your hands gently folded in your lap, gaze averted to your feet initially but looked up to him upon feeling his eyes on you.

“Look, I’m sorry. Okay? And I’m not really fuckin’ good at apologies. I know I fucked up…” He gestured with his hands outward, waving in the air. “I know everything’s a big fuckin’ mess because of, I guess, me draggin’ you into this shit and your buddy, and I’m sorry…”

Your expression was twisted, and you felt your heartstrings get tied into a knot. You were trying not to show it, your usual placid and content expression still barely holding on as you processed his words. He seemed genuine, trying hard to apologize. You just spoke, timidly, but truthfully. “I’m… I’m sorry too, Angel. I’m sorry for thinking that it was something more than just a… A service. I should’ve had the money for it, and I was just thinking that, well… It’s stupid, but that it was a genuine appeal.”

You gulped, nervously. It sounded even stupider coming out. Your gaze lowered as Angel kept looking at you, his eyes flickering down at your words, then back up to you. “...It kinda was stupid. But… Agh.” He shook his head. Wincing. He paused, trying to find the words, putting in effort to do so before continuing on. “But… I really enjoyed that night, Seb. I liked not having to suck some stupid horny idiots dick or let him rail me for hours on end only to bust so cheap and pay even cheaper… I liked, whatever the fuck that was…” His face was tense, and so was his body as he looked away from -you- now. You. Shock filled your body hearing him talk. “It was nice. And… It was really all you wanted, and I felt bad starting to steal that money, nonetheless going through with it. It was a real cozy night and I’m sorry I fucked it, and everything up for ya.” Angel looked around the room, adamantly avoiding eye contact with you then looking your way finally. 

“Don’t tell anyone I said… What I just did. I’m just. Sorry. Just say I said sorry. Ya got it?” He asked, rather annoyed at the end, and you snapped out of your dazed, thoughtful trance to nod quickly. “R-right… Angel..?” You asked softly, your voice carrying out to him as he kept his eyes mostly averted. This was hard for him, you could tell by body language alone, and you finally decided you wanted not to make it harder… For either of you.

“I forgive you… And I enjoyed that night too. A lot. I… I’m going to need some space, but… I’d be glad to… Pay for it again, this time. If I have to at some point.” You rose up to your feet and gave a smile to Angel, and before he could even respond, you continued. “I think… Yeah. I think things are messy right now but I think they’ll get better. Thank you for taking us here. And… I want you to know I apologized for a reason too, okay..? It’s not all your fault, I made bad assumptions I shouldn’t have. I didn’t pay enough attention to what was going on, obviously, given your rep, but this shit..? I’m sure we can just let it all blow over now. However it will.” You gave a reassuring smile “We’re gonna be okay.”

You let out a little yawn… Covering your mouth as Angel was briefly stunned into silence. You could see the gears in his head turning, and you wanted to ask, but he spoke on. “That’s… Yeah. I. I think we’ll be okay too…” Angel responded softly… Looking downright at the floor now, despite being previously so assertive and forthcoming with his apology. Now so short-spoken. “We’ll figure it out.”

You gave a little nod. Respecting the distance between the 2 of you even though you wished to step forward and ask what was on his mind. You stifled the desire… You both just needed time. Time to think. Time to sort things out with this whole mess. See where you both were. This was a complicated time. Who knows what was going to happen? But you needed to take it slow and steady. With patience and understanding. After all… You wanted him to do the same, if this… Whatever it was, was going to go the direction of something more intimate. Were you foolish for still hoping and going for that? Maybe but… You couldn’t deny your feelings in that moment and kept it personally. You spoke softly. “I’m going to head to bed. You have a good night Angel, okay..? You deserve it after all that fighting today.”

You offered a small chuckle, and he just nodded slowly, still adorning a sober frown. But he forced a faint smile up your way and gave a little nod. “Yeah. G’night Seb.” You… Paused, a brief moment, before nodding to him, and turning to leave, retiring to your room for the evening as you shut the door fully behind you. His light turned off shortly after.

Once you were in your room just across the hall you let out a deep sigh and rubbed your hands over your face. Now it is back to square one… Hope.

Hope things will improve for your life. Hope this “new start” meant something. Hope that you wouldn’t mess things up more than they already are for the people around you or yourself. As you stripped yourself of your clothes and cozied up into bed, your eyes turned back to the familiar sight gazing out the window by your bed… Almost reminded you of your apartment, which you wouldn’t be able to go back to for a while probably. So… This was going to have to do. And it did well. You liked the thick, warm, cozy blankets, supportive mattress and thick, fluffy, welcoming pillows, but it was yet to feel like home. Maybe it would soon if you decided to stay that long. But… You just continued to think about Angel all the way up until you would fall asleep. Your final thoughts were of the future, how this all was going to end. And of course everything between then and now… You hoped, privately in your heart for a happy ending. If those were even possible in Hell, which you believed were. And you outright -prayed.- Whispered to anyone listening in this dark bedroom under your breath… That if anything ended right. It would be right between you and Angel in the end, however this all goes. That you would at the very least be happy with each other's presence. Your smitten, fluffy heart prayed for this as your final thought drifting into bed… Was of hope and yearning filling your mind, and as a result, your subconscious dreams as you drift off to sleep.


	9. Thunder

The next morning came rather earlier than usual for you, probably due to the fact you were sleeping in an unfamiliar place. You always tended to sleep lighter when you were at other places, but nonetheless you rose up and got dressed again. This time in clothes that were actually stocking the dressers in the room you chose. A bit more casual but you found a nice enough combination of dark colors of a wine red and dark grey to suit your style. Simple pair of jeans, your shoes, and a shirt with the colored stripes seemed to suit you just fine you thought. You stepped out of your room and looked up and down the corridor, with most of the doors seeming closed and it seemed awfully quiet in the large hotel. It was kind of surreal, but had its own charm to have a place so big seem so empty. Not a good look for the business Charlie was trying to make, but it was nice to not have a place in Hell packed to the brim. You perked your ears to some distant conversation happening down the stairs at the start of the hallway as you pulled out your phone to check your messages and calls.

And you were not at all surprised to see several missed calls and a litany of text messages from “Manager-Nina” in your phone. You let out a little sigh and opened up the message to read a furious bunch of paragraphs of curses and demands of overtime, only to end with a, as you expected, a text saying “Fuck off, you’re fired, don’t ever come back to this mall or I’ll split YOU in half for bringing that shit down on MY head.” To which you just typed off a simple, heartless response of “It was a shit time working for you but thanks for the money.” And then proceeded to block the number. You didn’t want to hear what was likely to be a big old rant about how you were never going to work in this town again, because frankly, it was the least of your worries right now. You began to walk down the hallway, thinking about how long you were going to have to lay low, and now, the potential possibilities of being able to stay here long term. Charlie seemed like a much better boss anyways if you had to decide on some way not to be impoverished.

It wasn’t fair to Hailfire either, even if she was likely to have an optimistic outlook on everything. You hoped Valentino’s wrath wouldn’t last long. Upon walking down the hallway, and going down the steps, that conversation you heard from a distance as you checked your phone and mused to yourself before was now heard more clearly in the main lobby. Vaggie was talking to Charlie and Angel.

“-And we’re going to need to make sure we’re on time today. Please tell me you have everything ready?” She asked Charlie, in which she nodded quickly and urgently, looking then over to Angel and you at the stairs.

“Oh, you’re both here! Hailfire is still asleep I imagine? That’s okay, if you could tell her this; we’re going to go do a show on TV to advertise the Hotel today! So me and Vaggie will be out. We’d like all of you to just settle in and stay safe here, it shouldn’t be too long, just a few hours! I hope you both tune in, I’m probably gonna give a far better impression of the Hotel there.” She had cleared her throat and adjusted some papers she clutched close in hand, Vaggie rubbing her back in confidence.

“Alright hon, we gotta get going or we’re gonna be late.” Vaggie said, trying to push her towards the door, inciting a chuckle from Charlie as they both began to make their way out. Angel spoke up though.

“Ey, what about us? There’s hardly anything to do here ‘cept watch TV!” He protested, hands stretched out beside him with openly stated annoyance. 

Charlie called out as she slid out the door with Vaggie leading the way. “It’ll be okay, just a few hours! You guys have the TV!”

You chuckled somewhat as the door shut behind them, remembering some happier times from before death… But realizing what you had? Incited a brief frown before you forced the train of thought to be cut off entirely, looking up to Angel. “Eh, it’s okay. I’m sure we can figure something out. This hotel can’t be as empty as it looks. Surely you, me, and Hailfire could find something to do right?”

Angel scoffed at that suggestion, shaking his head. “This place is a boneyard of fun. Ugh. Fuck it. I wanna go do something. Anything. Maybe… Maybe I’ll hit up Cherri! Hey, Seb, ya wanna meet my buddy Cherri?”

You looked up to Angel, concern immediately washing over your face at the suggestion. You spoke at Angel’s perplexed look towards you. “Angel… We should try to be careful, shouldn’t we? Isn’t Valentino’s goons still lurking about? What if they find us? What if they get at us again?” Angel sighed and rolled his eyes. 

“So what? You kicked ass last time! And with Cherri there, Hailfire too maybe, ugh, just imagine what we could do!” His eyes had lit up in animated passion. And while you were flattered, your reasonable side was still out like a sore thumb, shaking your head.

“I… I’m flattered, Angel, but I don’t normally do that, and.. I’m.. I’m still just an Imp! That was probably a lot of luck and… Just, quick thinking, which isn’t gonna help against most they bring out. That was a LOT of luck I promise.” You swiftly explained, shaking your head, still offering a suggestion. “We could do something nice, gotta be a board game around here we can do or something. I can try to cook something as we talk after I wake Hail’s up, right?”

Angel let out a sigh and huffed. “Gah, alright. Whatever Seb.” He seemed a bit more prickly than last night to be sure, especially with his tone and body language there, waving his hand towards you dismissively. “I need to go let off some steam. So, ya’ll can stay here and hide and shit. I’m gonna go wreck some shit.” He scoffed and strutted off towards the front door, and walked on out unable to let out another bit of protest at his insistence. You crossed your arms, face tinged in openly expressed worry before sighing. You really weren’t comfy with protesting too much or expressing too much concern for his well-being, especially at the prickly attitude he had there… You decided, instead, it’d be best to go and try to wake up Hailfire instead. You did genuinely want to see what would happen with Charlie on TV. Surely a good thing, you thought, right? You kind of hoped it would go well. The hotel surely did need the business.

You shrugged and decided to take up Charlie on her suggestion now that Angel was certainly long gone and decided to go wake up Hailfire. Maybe you two could at least find something to do laying low in the meantime. You marched back upstairs and went to go wake Hailfire up.

The both of you spent the next several hours getting quite passionately immersed in various little games you found around the hotel or just made up on the spot. Completely glossing over you could turn on the TV in any of your bedrooms. Chess, Scrabble, truth or dare, in which Hailfire was obviously nudging you into dares about Angel Dust in which you all refused. To which she responded in kind light-heartedly calling you a “pussy” and moving onto the next question. It all seemed like a relative blur for the next few hours, as you both remained on the upper levels of the hotel playing those games and taking some time to explore all of the rooms, which were relatively the same. But you were nonetheless impressed with all of the space Charlie had managed to get. If only they could get some business to fill these rooms, you figured they’d be set and well on their way to success… Speaking of, you spoke up.

“Hey, maybe we should check out that interview Charlie said she’d do? She’s probably definitely on right now!”

Hailfire lifted her head from the drawers she was exploring. Empty, as always. “Ooh, good shit! Let’s turn on one a’ these TV’s. Hopefully it’s going well for the princess, can’t imagine it wouldn’t!” She exclaimed optimistically. Grabbing the remote, flicking it around until she got to the 666 news channel. And… What she found was total chaos. The film crew was recording an all out brawl with the shows host and Charlie, ravenously going at eachother until it suddenly cut out to a “Drama Recap!” In which they both watched with progressively more sympathetic expressions as Charlie was asked some questions, dropped a sudden musical number, witnessed Angel Dust helping Cherri Bomb with blowing up an entire part of the city in a turf war…

It was bad. -Really- bad. Neither of you could talk for a bit as the report went through but Hailfire piped up. “Jeez, let’s… Get downstairs. They gotta be coming back soon, I’m sure they’re gonna want input! Katie’s a bitch, it ain’t her fault.” Hailfire immediately started getting up as you did the same to go after her. “W-wait don’t you think she’s gonna want some space, the Pri- Er, Charlie I mean?”

Hailfire rolled her eyes as she led the both of you out into the hallway and down the stairs. “Space? Come on, after that shit we need to talk. At least say sorry. We’re guests, get a grip.” You shook your head and followed after as you both ended up downstairs, seeing Vaggie slumped up on the couch, rubbing her head in pure annoyance as if she were nursing a migraine. She might as well have been. And Angel leaning against one of the pillars in the main lobby sucking on a popsicle. Once he spotted you all he grinned and flashed a wink.

“Missed the shitshow, it sure was fun though.”

He said to you, with a clearly careless and light-hearted demeanor to all that must’ve happened. You looked at Vaggie on the couch who shook her head, and both you and Hailfire looked to the front door as Charlie walked on in, sliding her phone in her pocket and sighed. Wiping her face for a moment and exhaling slowly. “Sorry, everyone… Well, we’re gonna try to figure something out, this isn’t the end I’m sure. We just need to-” She began to explain as you stood beside Angel, looking over to him with a conflicted expression, but then to the door just as Charlie did. A heavy, steady knocking was tapping against the door frame as a tall, slender figure stood behind the stained glass window. Everyone in the room, including yourself, fell silent as Charlie tilted her head at the figure in confusion before reaching for the doorknob.

Upon twisting and pulling the door open her eyes trailed up the figure of… Alastor, the radio demon, and before he could even speak out a full word, Charlie slammed the door shut! She looked back at everyone else including you, and then back to the door in disbelief. Opening it up again as he finished his quick little “Hello!” She then slammed it again and turned immediately, calling out for Vaggie. Eventually, despite being told not to let him in you saw Charlie stiffen her lower jaw and toughen up. She swung open the door and Alastor smiled down to her, red eyes gleaming to her, hand raised in the air patiently.

“May I speak now?”

“You may-”

Alastor suddenly reached out and shook her hand vigorously! “Alastor, pleasure to be meeting you sweetheart, quite a pleasure!” He had walked on inside with a merry stride in his step, continuing to speak with a voice that was audibly distorted and warped much like a genuine voice coming out of an old timey radio. And you thought that was just a rumor… Even ambient noises such as crowd laughter, applause, and gasps were heard filling the air around him seemingly at his own command… Or perhaps souls enslaved to him? So many theories on that were also rumored about the Radio Demon. “Excuse my sudden visit, but I saw your fiasco on the picture show, and I just couldn’t resist! What a performance!” He threw his hands in the air enthusiastically, walking to the center of the foyer in a smooth stride as he finished his rapidly-spoken sentiments. “Why, I haven’t been that entertained since the stock market crash of 1929, hahahahahaha! Ooooh, so many orphans…” He regarded with a casual shrug of genuine amusement at the expense of so many. Which, instilled within you a chuckle, Angel grinning over to you and stifling a laugh as well. But more pressingly, which made your face suddenly get struck with fear, was Alastor grinning over to you and making direct eye contact which you couldn’t help but avert your gaze from. He turned away and was suddenly confronted by a very upset Vaggie, halted in his tracks! 

She had let loose a whole threat towards Alastor, and you winced at a response that shook you to your very core to see him and… Seemingly reality itself around him warped and distorted to such an extreme degree that showed his power was something genuinely to be feared or praised respectively depending which side he was on. And thankfully, he seemed to be on Charlie’s side after swiftly expressing his desire to help, explaining to them his utter boredom with his current course of presiding along Hell’s strongest lords. Though he seemed utterly cynical towards the idea of demons actually finding redemption, he had paced alongside Charlie convincing her that his stay would be beneficial. During this whole spiel, Angel seemed unimpressed to himself, scoffing and chuckling as you stood beside him. He shrugged your way, whispering. “Who is this dude?”

“You… Don’t know who this is? It’s… The Radio demon! He’s… He’s a very powerful Lord of Hell. Basically… Just… Yeah, respect his presence.” You realized all too late you were asking that of Angel Dust who chuckled at you, then looked over to him. “Pfft, c’mon Seb, guy looks like he’s a strawberry pimp.” You masked and tried not to laugh and slightly looked away smiling. Angel beamed at your reaction as you tuned in to Alastor’s conversation again as he spoke up.

“And where is your hotel staff?” He asked Charlie, leaning down to her level as she looked around the room.

“Well…” She glanced over to Hailfire and Vaggie, then over to you and Angel.

Alastor’s gaze had looked over to Hailfire and Vaggie first, chuckling. “Ooh, you’re going to need more than that.” He had walked and paced on over to you and Angel. Alastor watched as you slightly scooted on closer to Angel, standing somewhat behind him, even Angel noticed, but he grinned right up to him as the radio demon stepped forward.

“And what can you do my effeminate fellows?” He asked with a grin, referring to the two of you at once. You spoke up first, hands behind your back, tail poised and curled up tightly in a very formal, respectable pose. At least you did your best.

“Well, I have experience in several thousands of hours of customer service skills both in life and in death. I have a small passion for computer engineering, and I-”

As you went on to the ever grinning Alastor, Angel broke in your speech with a simple line. “I can suck ya dick!”

Alastor immediately widened his eyes and let out a laugh! Leaning down to Angel to respond in kind. “HAH! No.” He regarded with a cold tone, rising back up.

You chuckled somewhat under your breath, eyes gazing over to Angel as Alastor watched you and followed your gaze… You caught all too late him observing the fondness in your eyes and turned away with a wry smirk back to Vaggie, Charlie and Hailfire, continuing to speak onward as you grew the smallest bit flustered at his sharp and true observation. At least… At least you assumed that is what he observed.You had no idea what conclusions he drew, but you assumed they could only be the worst.

“Well this just won’t do, I suppose I can call in a few favors to lighten things up!” With a wave of his hand and two magical demonstrations, and some minor negotiations for the sake of “Husker” two more hands joined to help the hotel out! And with some extra refurbishments to the main lobby’s decor as well… Despite Vaggie’s protests being rewarded with outright resistance most passionately delivered even from Angel Dust with a tackle, inciting a gasp from you, what really caught you swept up in the growing excitement that Charlie was permeating was a snap of Alastor’s fingers starting to que his own iteration of the song Charlie herself sang on the TV earlier!

You went along and clapped in wonder to the visuals and music Alastor and his band of demons played for the princess of hell, suddenly dressed up in a small fancy suit and tie right beside Angel as you both watched the rest of the song… And ended with an interruption by a sudden attack by Sir Pentious, which was cut short with a horrifying display of Alastor’s powers… All done against someone who threatened the hotel. Standing by Angel as you returned, he smiled and shrugged, his lower arm taking your arm up in his with a content smile as the whole group walked on back to the Hotel, Alastor enthusiastically vocalizing his future ambitions for the Hotel to grow and improve. And you… Kinda felt that, hey, if this was ever going to work out, it was going to be with the help of Alastor. Hailfire flashed a wink your way, obviously feeling the same confidence and safety with this crowd as well. What better way to avoid Valentino’s wrath than being here, right? And Charlie herself seemed like a good enough woman to work for, and as Angel had his arm looped up with your own, seeing him smile, feeling your heart warm further and further… That safety you felt truly instilled a further sense of hope in you that you had felt deep last night. There were some real changes, but you felt it certainly was working out for all of you in the end. How could it not? But deep down, you dreaded… Like an ominous thunder looming over the horizon, that your jinx was probably coming right around the corner. You did your best to push that thought aside as you all went into the hotel once again to get to work. Alastor, once inside and everyone was getting ready to get started on working once again, Alastor flashed a smile your way and spoke evenly, hands behind his back. “I cannot wait to see how fun this little arrangement shall be..~”


	10. The Deal

It had been about a week by now that you and Hailfire were doing well to prove you were able to earn your keep with Charlie. For manual labor, which the others weren’t too keen on doing maybe with the exception of Niffty and Vaggie, but you two really helped out with the Hotel’s improvements that magic just didn’t help with. Setting up new furniture, some new decorations to brighten up and individualize some of the rooms for you and Hailfire, and helping Charlie think up a good menu for the Hotel kitchen too! Angel even helped with that one, proposing some rather… Oddly insightful picks of salads and healthier wraps and sandwiches. It was so strange to hear Angel, usually so flippantly spoken to give good choices of food.

“What? I diet, ya gotta know that shit to have a body like me..~” He eased his hand over his stomach and gave it several content pats. “Gotta work for somethin’ like this and eat good too. And THAT is good eatin.” He exclaimed rather proudly as you smiled up to him. Charlie gave a nod and let out a little sigh, beaming to you, Hailfire, and Angel at the table.

“Alright well thank you both a plenty for all the help today. I don’t think things are going to be as busy for the next few days as we just work on trying to get a better name for ourselves out there and hopefully get some more guests! So pretty much a free day tomorrow, except not doing the usual bad stuff, okay Angel…?” She asked rather pointedly, for he was the only one it truly applied to.

Angel let out a dismissive “pfft.” 

“Yeah, alright alright. Don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behavior.. I have been! Going well and good…”

She crossed her arms, raising a brow to him. “The other night, that was not a standard cigarette…” 

Angel let out a sigh. “Alright, alright, mostly good. It’ll be fiiiiine.” His annoyance in his tone became slightly piqued but still tried to keep cool and chill.

Charlie let out a little sigh. Folding her hands in front of her and looking to Angel with a patient, but clearly sharp expression. You stayed mostly quiet as she grew more serious. “Angel… You have to start taking this more seriously. I know it’s hard but it's like you’re not even trying to stop. Throughout this week it seems to have just gotten wor-”

As she spoke, Angel let out a loud groan and sigh. “Ya know what princess, I really like all ya did for me but can you shut it?” He asked with a rather rude snarl. Charlie widened her eyes somewhat and you looked up at Angel sympathetically, and when Angel looked over to you and Hailfire, especially you, he winced visibly and finished up his sentiment rising from the table. “Look, you judge a lot, I’ve been going through so much SHIT okay? And I don’t need you fuckin’ lecturing me if I ain’t going fast enough for you! If you thought this was gonna be hard why the fuck you whining about it?!” He huffed and stormed away from the table, and out into the lobby, then left the hotel outright. Leaving you and Hailfire, especially you, looking rather uncomfortable.

Charlie let out a sigh, shaking her head in minor annoyance. Even as patient as she was, she couldn’t hide her frustration truly, and you understood. You spoke up, smiling her way in an attempt to be reassuring. “Hey Charlie, it’s okay… Addiction is… It’s hard, as you probably know. It’ll take time but we can do it. I’ll talk to him when I can. I’ve been trying to be careful with it, but he’s been talking to me more, at least a little bit.”

She adorned a smile your way, Hailfire nodded in confirmation. “Yeah! I’m gonna go try to cheer him up, maybe fetch him a drink or somethin’, okay?” You looked over to Hails, your face expressing evident concern in which she noticed and just chuckled at. “Come on, it won’t be that long, no way Val is gonna be out for just a lil coffee date.” Hailfire sighed and rose up as you spoke out after her, hands tensing on the table.

“Hails, be careful, okay? Just keep an eye out… For both you and him.” You spoke earnestly, having Hailfire to let out a little reassuring nod your way by the door before she had pulled it open and headed on out into the street, taking after Angel.

“Hey, wait up!” Was the last you heard of her.

You turned and sighed to Charlie, rubbing your head. “He’s gonna be difficult… A lot will be, but we can do it Princess. Just gotta keep patient… I’ll help how I can. I mean it when I say at least me and him are closer! I’ll try to talk to him and make the point in a better way. He probably just feels embarrassed or frustrated with himself…”

Charlie smiled your way. She was glad that over the course of your stay you grew to more genuinely believe in her cause. But… There was one little thing. And you felt there was a good time to bring it up now. “Charlie..? What about him becoming an Angel and going to Heaven..? Would I never see him again?”

Charlie frowned, she… Folded her hands together rather anxiously at your unexpectedly hard-hitting question. And it didn’t help when you followed it up.

“If he becomes an Angel is he still gonna be himself..? What are they like, have you met one?”

Charlie had no real answer to the long list of his questions in truth, but she let out a little patient sigh and spoke. “I… I don’t know all the answers Seb, and I wish I did.” She reached out and placed a hand on yours, speaking with genuineness, nodding your way. “But I am going to keep trying to do the best I can for not just Angel, but all of my people. Including you, okay? I’m not looking to take whatever connection you have with Angel away. And I want to work with you more to make sure that doesn’t happen. I -hope- that it’ll end with everyone happy and content, okay?”

You smiled at that, nodding slowly as you gripped her hand. “Alright. I’ll keep doing my best. I want to see him better. But being who he is…? That’s what I, as you’ve clearly noticed, have a bit of a crush on… Thank you for clarifying that. I’ll keep helping and doing all I can Charlie.” You pulled your hands away and nodded confidently. “Just… Be patient, that’s pretty much it. Changing people can be tricky and if I may be bold… I think both of us can’t predict what will happen trying to do so. But it’s worth trying as long as we’re careful.”

Charlie gave a nod in agreement, humming softly. “It’s good to have you around at least. Alastor has been less than faithful in the concept, but I am sure it’ll all play out for the better.” She gave a little shrug and rose up from the table, looking around the foyer to the bar where Alastor and Husker were striking up a conversation about… Well, something inaudible. She looked back to you and shrugged, gesturing you to follow as she headed towards the center of the room. “It’ll get better. Yet to get any new guests but… I didn’t go into this without thinking it’d be a bit difficult to get off the landing pad! Just bear with me, I’m really glad you and Hailfire are here to help. Even if you’re doing it for protection, it’s a welcome aid.” You gave a nod and simple bow her way, while she didn’t wish to be respected for her royal status you couldn’t help but do so anyway. Charlie smiled and curtsied in response, the best she could. Before nodding her head. “Dismissed. I’ll let you know if I need anything further… Hopefully Angel will come back soon so we can start discussing potential treatments or therapies and such!” She piped right back up optimistically, taking her leave up the steps of the large Hotel once more, probably to her quarters on the upper levels. You had decided to go wait for Angel and Hails to return as well, heading to your own room that still didn't stand out from any other room of the hotel even with the added decorations. You decided to pick up on something Angel did that you had found impressive… Christmas lights. And you managed to get your desk and computer from your apartment, thankfully. And it wasn’t being staked out. You were so thankful Vaggie had your back when you went to go fetch it regardless. 

You hadn’t seen any sign of Valentino, though YOU were playing it mostly cool. You were really worried about Hailfire and Angel Dust seemingly being so overly confident at their own abilities, and your own. How could they not see that last time was a close call? That just because even if you did “so good” that you still all had to be careful? You just hoped in your silent worry and frustration that they would come back soon. You opened the way to your room and shut it immediately behind you, locking the door. You still had paranoia, even here… It was the better way to be here in Hell. Who knows who you pissed off with so much as a glance? It was a habit you weren’t keen on letting go.

You decided to wind down into your computer and boot the old junker on up and distract yourself at the very least. Once it was all booted up after several minutes, you opened up the browser and turned on some tunes that would at least try to understand the feelings you were going through, to relative success. For the next several hours you were doing various different things to pass the time. Playing mainly older video games, singing your heart out to the songs blasting in your ears, and finally, scrolling through HellView, YouTube in Hell. 

What an unoriginal, absurd fucking name you thought to yourself.

As you were scrolling through the feed, your eyes trailed over a “Live and Popular!” video going on, and in the thumbnail, you immediately clicked on it upon seeing a familiar face in the video, Angel Dust looking infuriated. Upon clicking it, you saw very shaky footage of someone recording an all out brawl that the small Hailfire was helping Angel commit to! Several suited demon gangsters had her and Angel Dust surrounded, diving in and on them, quickly subuding them with several repeated blows from fist, baseball bat, chains, whatever they had. Thugs, plain and simple, and as to your horror they dragged both Angel and Hailfire off into a long red limousine, battered, bruised, bleeding, no matter how hard they kicked and clawed and bit and fought, it wasn’t enough. You let out a cry of fear into your hands, fingers clasped around your mouth and immediately shut your computer off and started to pull up that video from your phone as you rushed downstairs, calling out!

“Charlie, Vaggie, anyone! Oh my God, Hails and Angel a-are in trouble, they had- They were-” You started, clearly panicking and fumbling over your words to the people in the room. Husk, Niffty, and Alastor all were looking at you. Husk was giving you a weird look, Niffty tilting her head with a concerned expression, and Alastor was standing between the both of them with a wide, enthusiastic grin your way.

“Well now, come on, chap! Speak your mind!” Alastor said, stepping forward and tilting his head down your way. “A-angel Dust and Hailfire! Th-they’re in trouble, I s-saw this video online, th-they! We have to do SOMETHING! Look!” As you were showing the video, Charlie and Vaggie also came down the stairs to investigate the commotion Charlie had picked up on as well. Thankfully, you were right at the point of the video where it mattered, all you had to do was scroll back a touch to show Angel and Hails get dragged into the back of a limo and zoom off as the video ended with all the thugs in tow as well on foot or having gotten in the car for a quick get-a-way. Charlie immediately piped up, her heart clearly sinking in concern for you, who was actively panicking and breathing in and out rapidly.

“I… I’m so sorry, Seb. It’s… I can try to reach out… M-maybe he’ll agree to let them go if I can smooth over whatever the hell is going on… But that’s all I can do…” Her words came out with compassion and an attempt to calm you, but it only caused your emotional surge of fear, anxiety, and anger to boil up more. 

“You… You’re going to ask him to let them go? Do you know who Valentino IS?! He’s not going to do that Charlie! Valentino’s a crazy pimp, one who- who keeps Angel on the shortest of leashes and keeps him tight and controlled, just like everyone who works for him! He’s not going to let him go again without a fight, and who knows what he’s going to do to Hailfire! I can’t just sit by and-”

Vaggie interjected, lifting a finger and snarling your way. “DON’T raise your voice at Charlie, how are you so certain that ISN’T what he wants? A trap just to bait YOU out, you’re the one that owes him money for trying to fuck Angel that one night and not having enough!”

You glared sharply, about to outright yell back at Vaggie in outrage. “ARE YOU SERIOUSLY BLAMING M-”

Charlie interjected, a swathe of flames blasted out in a small circle around her as her demonic voice surged and boomed, making all fall quiet as she spoke. “ENOUGH! Seb…” Her demonic form receded as she took a slow exhale. You crossed your arms and looked away, teeth locked together in silence as she tried to console you. “I’m sorry, but this is the best we can do. If we want to help them try to safely get out of their situation at all, I am not willing to put you or anyone in danger to go on some… Rescue mission.”

Alastor spoke up, his hands behind his back during the entire altercation. He mused aloud, head tilted upwards along with his gaze in thought. “Perhaps it doesn’t have to be as much of a risk as it appears to be if Seb truly wishes to go save his friends from good old Valentino..~” His voice crackled in subtle deviousness, turning his head down to you just as you turned to peer your green eyes into his glowing reddish ones. 

Charlie and Vaggie also looked his way as Husker rolled his eyes and sighed, going back to the bar. “Here we go again…”

Niffty just giggled as you stared at Alastor along with Charlie and Vaggie. “What do you mean?” You asked.

Alastor let out a delighted laugh and folded his hands behind his back, standing prim and proper, very business-like as he spoke his true and honest thoughts on the matter. “Well what else could I mean?! You’re a smart chap, you want to go and save your friends from Valentino’s clutches, it won’t be easy, and no amount of smooth-talking will seal the deal, I am afraid your majesty!” Alastor explained with ease and grace, walking on over and rather towering above you with his height, leaning on his cane as he gazed down to you, examining you a moment before raising his hand up and waving the others away. “Friends! If me and the “Good-natured” Imp may have a word in private please?”

Vaggie was about to talk back, raising her hand against Alastor, but Charlie rested a hand on her shoulder, speaking up on both their behalfs. “Don’t do anything bad Alastor… And Seb--” Charlie was immediately cut off. Vaggie speaking up to him.

“Don’t make a deal with that sleazy bastard!” She insisted as finally, she and Charlie took their leave. Husker took up a beer and took a big swig as he followed the two. Niffty at his feet hopped on along after Charlie and Vaggie as well.

Alastor had been watching them leave then finally walked up closer to you, he had leaned down to your level and let out a smooth sigh. “Now, my dear…” He started, his smile becoming thinner and more reserved as he became eye level with you. You stared at him as his deep sultry voice spoke out to you like silk. “Darling…” He began. “I can see so much passion in you to do right by Angel… But I assure you, you don’t truly want to be a hero on -his- behalf do you? To pursue something that you really don’t need in Angel alone…”

You watched Alastor as his voice seemingly slid into your very head through your ears, feeling your burning heart slump slightly as he spoke to you further, easing a hand over your shoulder and continuing on. “Don’t worry about him… He is going to be an addicted, dependant, and hostile force in your life. Unreliable, but always depending on you to be a stiff pillar of support even if he is as shaky as a rockslide! You just want stability… To be loved and cared for, yes? Given a bit of attention and fond affection from someone who cherishes your presence..?” He had eased a hand over your cheek, you turned your face away averting your eyes, face quivering in growing frustration.

“Make a deal with me… We can get you what you want, Seb. Safety, security, order? I can grant it all, darling..~ If you’re with me.” His doting expression, his warm red eyes gazed right into your very soul fondly. Fingers and sharp claws sliding into your hair, beaming your way. You looked and lifted your head up lining your gaze with him as he concluded his offer. “Don’t you want that? To be content with all of the attention you could ask for?” You lifted your hand and placed it on his wrist, staring down the affectionate Radio demon, seemingly doting for you in a very sudden confession of possessive feelings.

“I love him. Not you. Not with feeling safe or secure. I love -him.- It is going to be messy… It is going to be hard. It may very well end up not working at all. But it’s worth trying, at any cost. And I’ll be damned if I commit myself to you. I’m not the whore for people you think I am, and neither is he.” You felt tears sting in your eyes as you let your feelings out earnestly. Gripping your fists and staring down Alastor, feeling the wet streaks start to slide down your cheeks, his expression growing more… Of a curious smile, his head tilting as you finished your firmly delivered statement. “I messed up in life. I bounced from person to person hoping and scraping for any amount of affection, satisfaction, and compassion I could get from people. Lured by my own fantasies of being the object of people’s obsession in a relationship. Of being given love and trust and adoration un-earned… Not anymore.”

You had pushed your hands up and shoved his arms away, pushing past him leaving the Radio Demon standing upright and gazing after you with a wide-growing grin. You marched to the door and stormed on out, exhaling sharply. Fury and drive pulsing through you as you walked down the street from the Hotel deeper into the city. Along the way, you had grasped and tore away a loose bit of broken piping on the side of a building. Tail curling tightly behind you as you walked the street alone. Before you could get -too- far from the Hotel, a flaming pentagram appeared right before you. Forming fully then summoning the figure of Alastor rather suddenly, his coming told by a telltale static-laden laughter.

“My my, you are an interesting little Imp! Walking towards certain death even at the promise of attention and adoration! You really think he can love you, don’t you?” His voice permeated with a smug sense of superiority, but all the same, an honest and openly expressed fascination.

You were beyond the point of biting your tongue. “That was some test to see if I was genuine? Not just gunning for attention?”

Alastor maintained his coy grin. “Yes, absolutely. And now you’re going off to a suicidal venture to a place that will gut and kill you a hundred, nay, thousand times over, oh! The foolish bravado, the suicidal emotional upheaval! Oh, you are heading to certain death and that is absolutely what I expected, but you successfully subverted my expectations, so allow me to present my -true- deal now that you’ve captured my attention..~” Alastor had thrown his hand up in the air, and out of a plume of flame and smoke, he began to write onto a piece of paper with a red old-school pen. Upon finishing, he spoke simply and evenly showing a lengthy contract your way. You began to read it, WORD FOR WORD. But he pretty much spoke honestly as to what the contents entailed.

“I will grant you the power that you desire and will -need- to go overpower and overwhelm all the security and goons that Valentino has employed at his wretched little studio! Just for the day of course.~ However, you will be bound by your very soul to be inclined and must obey the command of any task that I deem fit! A simple thing, or an endlessly complex trial that I command of you, of which you will be REQUIRED to act upon whenever I summon you to accomplish it! And this will be for a -single- task… Anyways, I won’t get into the details of the powers, as, trust me, you will know fully well what they do should you accept.” Alastor spoke with a genuine tone to his voice, formal and eloquent. And as you read over the contract itself. It seemed all fairly straight forward… Up to what he said word for word. You knew what you were going into completely, and under no illusion of the cost you were accepting, and despite assuming the worst to come of it..?

“I accept.” You said, firmly, standing straight and stiff. Alastor grinned and dismissed the contract in a puff of flame after you had given it a quick, brief signature. “One last thing..~” He had lifted his hand down and out to you. “We have a good deal~?” His hand flared in pulsating green magic, unholy wind blasted out against your face as you gazed down to his waiting clawed hand. You lifted your hand, and hardly even hesitated as you reached out and grasped his hand firmly. Alastor’s grin widened as you felt a -coldness- course through you, like chains slithering tiny and subtle all throughout your body. But along with it? You felt a… You felt… You felt a sudden surge of power seed within you. A rising feeling in your chest and a… Cleansing feeling in your head fills your senses. You began to hear a soft radio crackle like a background noise as Alastor had suddenly begun to stretch and twist, shadows of himself had suddenly split out from his physical body in 4 different segments before pouring deep into you through your mind! Instantly you feared possession, but realized that you were still largely in control…

Alastor’s voice had buzzed in your mind, speaking in utter confidence, and devious anticipation for what was to come. Thankfully, you were not possessed. But he was obviously along whatever this ride was going to provide for him. Mainly, as you suspected, it was entertainment he sought, and entertainment he would get. You began to walk forward, feeling more confident with whatever dark power or cursed boon you bore on your shoulders. Eventually winding your way through the streets and past several crowds of people to end up at the front of Valentino’s Studio. On a warpath of that anger seeding within your head again. Alastor internally relishing in being able to feel all the anger and desire for a better future BURNING within you. This was going to be very entertaining. You walked right up to the street where Valentino’s building loomed right above, your eyes narrowing. Clenching your fists and clutching the pipe you picked up earlier tightly in your hand.

As you stared in utter contempt at the place Angel talked on end to you about how it was a festering shithole, a practical prison, Alastor’s voice spoke in your mind with a grin that you knew would have been plastered all over his face at these growing developments. 

“This is going to be an entertaining slaughter. Let’s go save your dear friend and your precious pink spider!” With a deep breath, you began to march across the street after making sure it was clear.


	11. The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You had struck a deal with the Radio Demon, dark power and anger coursing through every part of you. You've got your friends to save, and nothing is going to get in your way. But it's going to be a ruthless, bloody fight ahead of you.

Seb had kept his footsteps steady and his stance rigid. He could feel it. He could feel himself being fearful as he approached the studio. Out front, he stopped to observe a man getting out of a fancy sports car and walking in as he was talking on the phone. “Sure, babe, whatever, just be ready with dinner when I get home or ya know what happens..~” He said with a very sing-songy tone, hanging up the phone as he pushed past the double glass doors into the studio's main area. It pretty much was a sign of the types of demons who hung around these parts… Contempt boiled up even stronger inside you… As you stepped into the main lobby you realized something was quite different than usual. Your gaze turned to a conversation you heard perfectly fine even though the people having the conversation were far away, well on the far end of the lobby, looking to be whispering and gossipping to themselves.

“Oh my god, you’re such a whore, you think you have a chance with Valentino just because he gave you a -glance?-” The first demon said, her hissing laughter heard under her breath in full audio for you. Tongue flicking in amusement at her friends behest. The other, a demon with pure black eyes had rolled them, poising confidently. Whispering back.

“You’re just jealous he’s going to make me one of his girls. I’m better than any of his two-bit sluts currently…” The conversation continued to be a back and forth that you heard clearly well. You… Felt a faint tingle, and the static that seemed to swirl and fold invisibly around you made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, a supernatural itch, a spine chill, coming from a very specific direction as you turn your head and locked eyes with… A security camera. Seeing it slowly and automatically pace left to right in the lobby. As it slid across its vision of you, you felt this static slightly increase in intensity across your body… Indicating sight or perhaps a threat? Once it was fully turned away, the static in your ears went back to standard volume and that inexplicable chill you felt went away. You turned forward with this slightly better understanding of your newfound boon… Glaring to the bouncer up front, standing in front of a doorway. 

Behind it, you heard music, club music, thumping loudly and energetically behind the doors, muffled by the buildings walls… You started forward as the bouncer looked up to you, scoffing and chuckling. His gaze glancing down almost immediately again. “Get lost, Imp. No whores for you losers here.” He said, before lowering his head, then noticing the pipe gripped tightly in your hand. Raising a brow. He spoke again. “What, you wanna start some shit?” The minotaur asked, then looked back up to you again, staring at your mug. “Wait, you look familiar… Aren’t you that fucker Val has a bounty on? Shit… Nice.” He grinned, and suddenly, his right hand began to glow red… Everything else in your vision became blurred and distorted slightly, flickering out of reality as your eyes were directed to be focused on his hand reaching behind him to his belt loop for a gun, you even saw his hand as it disappeared behind his back, illuminated by a red glow grabbing for the gun! Immediately, you had lifted your pipe and slammed it with ferocity at his knees, causing his knee to buckle with a painful snap! His hand immediately jerked away, dropping the gun onto the ground as he yanked it out of his holster, his hand immediately becoming normal, and the visual distortion faded, giving you only a moment's pause as you had then slammed the pipe upright across his jaw, causing the demon to be thrown back and collapse with a very likely broken mouth and broken knee. Previously, fear filled you for delivering such violent acts… But now? You had felt apathy… And a sprinkling of amusement. Alastor’s boon was clearly affecting you more than just physically, but you didn’t mind it for the time being.

He collapsed and was knocked out at those 2 fierce strikes, clearly not expecting the Imp to do that, and neither did the two women who gasped in shock watching you beat the minotaur with such ease, and kneeling down to pick up his gun in your left hand, still holding the pipe in your right. The static tingled on your back as you turned to look at them… Speaking with a coldness that was very unlike you. “Find another place to party tonight.” Part of you enjoyed seeing the blood ooze from the minotaur’s wounds and you had relished in the adrenaline that it made you feel, filling that void that currently occupied your soul, a slight chuckle in your minds senses that you couldn’t help but mimic externally… Afterwards, your frown returned. The two women getting up and scoffing, the snake outright cursing you out as she left with her friend. “Stupid fucking imp, getting himself killed so he can try to wreck shit and ruining my afternoon! Unbelievable!” You watched them leave, your gaze turning down to the minotaur. You had lifted your left hand up and popped a bullet directly into his forehead right between the horns. The minotaur’s body twitched with the sudden gun-blast, dying. He’d be out of commission for a while, your eyes cold as you had turned to the doors leading to the main club area, then started marching forward again, bloody pipe and 9mm in hand, pushing open the door to the loud club music immediately blaring in your ears, but it couldn’t drown out the subtle radio’s buzz…

Though the music was loud and energetic, you began to attract several eyes as you walked on into view of a majority of the clubbers. You weren’t going to hurt the patrons here outright. These people were scum for enabling, allowing, and supporting such a man, but you were focused on only the ones who actively worked for him. That all changed when suddenly the music briefly stopped, and all the dancers and patrons all let out a mass disappointed groan. On the various TV screens which were previously displaying random neon visuals flowing between different complex shapes and abstract animations, they had switched to all show the face of Vox, another lord of Hell that was in it good with Valentino. He let out an amused, static bit of laughter as all the cameras in the room set eyes on you.

“Ladies and gentleman, I am so glad you decided to enjoy our ongoing productions and our wonderful entertainment venue, however we appear to have an uninvited guest! Luckily, he too is VERY welcome here as well, for he owes our one and only host Valentino quite a pretty penny, and has somehow eluded our enforcers… He’s here, -hopefully- to cough up enough for the sake of his friends, yessss?” Vox’s voice menacingly growled, and you had simply given your answer with a simple action. You lifted your right arm up holding the pistol and shot at the TV screen in the left wall, and another, and another, and another. And you did the same to the TV’s on the right, destroying that stupid TV-head’s mug from your sight. Vox’s laughter statically filled the air which trailed off into a malicious sneer. “Whoever brings that Imp’s head gets a cash reward! Make it entertaining and bloody, but try not to kill him, we can use that Twink..~”

You felt your anger swell at that last comment, and more at the several eyes that suddenly gazed to you with an opportunistic gleam, and wide grins. You had poised and saw your vision once again focus on all the threats that were coming your way. First and foremost being a large demonic humanoid panther dive your way, long, massive teeth baring your way ferociously. You also saw in this brief second several of the other attendees reaching for knives and tasers and whatever other weapons they could bring out into this. And one by the bar just straight up smashed a wine bottle. You immediately refocused on reality to deal with that first threat. You ducked forward and slammed your pipe into the panther’s stomach, causing him to cry out and harmlessly topple overhead and slam into the wall behind you. You immediately raised your hand up and aimed sights on several other demons lunging towards you! Gunshots rang as the pressure of the gun firing exploded in your hand multiple times. Adrenaline starting to shock and course through you as the entire night club it felt was suddenly trying to kill you! Your bullets shot into the shoulder and the head of two demons until you felt a knife slash across your hand due to your lack of paying attention to the clear sensory overload you were being given, dropping your pipe down to the ground at the stinging pain burning through you. You exhaled and refocused as the big black-furred wolf standing before you. He jostled his butterfly knife between both his hands and then swiped towards you rapidly. Only to be surprised you easily side-stepped his slash and reached out, twisting his arm the wrong way inciting him to cry out and drop his knife. You had then grabbed his freshly broken arm and threw him a nearby table covered in a messy table, breaking it in on himself, glasses breaking all over his body. You walked over and quickly scooped up his knife as you put a bullet in his head before he could even stir or recover in any way. Just as you had felt the hairs on your back tingle, you had felt your senses heighten behind you, immediately whipping around and jamming the knife right underneath the jaw of another demon, shoving his body forward into a demon swinging into your side with a bat to push away the blow. You had thrown aside the battered, dead demon, only for that demon with the bat to attempt to slam his bat down on you with another violent, aggressive swing. You dipped forward, tail sliding along the floor as you suddenly jammed your wrist right under his, and your body under his own, stabbing your knife right up into his stomach, twisting him around and throwing him backwards to the surrounding demons to get at least a bit of breathing room with his body, immediately starting to try to disengage.

You barely had a chance to breathe, your tail twitching erratically as you had darted your eyes around at the several demons surrounding you! Several pairs of flaring demonic eyes surged with desire to see you subdued. To give them their lucky break. Your teeth clenched, your claws tightened around your two weapons as you slowly backed up from the crowd, when you decided to just embrace the burning rage soaring in your spirit. Even that dim static in your ears heightening its volume couldn’t distract you from charging right into the crowd! You were easily swinging at their knees, making one buckle right in front of you, only to elbow them right afterwards as they fell right into range! Your spine tingled and you immediately jammed your knife right into the stomach of a demon attempting to shoot at your head, redirecting their pistol into another demon who was about to smash a bottle over your head!

You had to get out of this tangle of bodies. You immediately thrust your nimble, small body backwards, your left fist igniting as you jammed the knife into the back of the demon you flipped behind and kicked him into the ground. Gaining more ground by disengaging from the swarm, suddenly ducking behind a table as a spray of bullets barely whizzed past you. Your hand aflame lifted and began to fling fire over the table at those shooting, forcing them to duck from your firebolts. One of them was heard crying out. “Come on, he’s just one fucking imp!” You couldn’t help but gain a smile that tugged at the corner of your mouth. But it quickly returned to a frown as you just… -knew- that people were marching up to the table. Immediately you turned forward and kicked your front leg forward right into the gut of a demon approaching you, leaping forward and tackling onto his face. Both your hands, now free of weapons, dug right into the demon woman's eyes as she hissed and clawed at your back. Your ignited claws doing a number to blind her when she was struggling to get you off, only for you to duck behind her wobbling body as bullets shot into her repeatedly, when they were intended for you. You used her falling body as momentum to leap behind the bar deftly away from the strafing gunfire ravaging the bar. You could hardly feel anything with the adrenaline coursing through from your head to your toes…

Your eyes travelled to underneath the bar to see a small uzi and reached out, grasping it, and immediately rose up once you sensed their gun-barrels wander incorrectly down the bar, standing upright and starting to unload the full magazine into the final firing squad blasting down 2 more demons in a flurry of strangely accurate headshots, as the other four ducked down behind their own forged cover of tables and chairs. You had done the same as you went right back behind the bar counter. As you sat, you had felt -all- the hairs on your body tingle, as you had heard a grenade pin pulled on the far end of the room where they crouched behind. Your tail swung around as you did, bouncing up into the air right as you -knew- it was thrown into the air, you grabbed it and chucked it RIGHT back at their cover straight from the air. A quick series of screams came out as suddenly it exploded, guts and blood and shrapnel blasting out that entire part of the dance floor as you collapsed right into the middle of it. You panted and slowly rose up, gazing around the area searching and scanning in your frenzy for anymore threats, not hearing any more… You had let out a slow exhale from your previously rapid breathing, calming and taking a small breather within yourself. That buzzing in your ears filled your mind, as did the sounds of blood dripping off the bar and light fixtures as you slowly tried to calm your shaking body… The coppery scent of blood, burnt gunpowder and hard alcohol in the room was so potent… And finally… You heard something, a faint, shuddering breathing coming from the entrance to the room as you turned and finally saw a body. One final party-goer crawled with his stomach pooling out on the floor behind him in a trail trying to get out through the door. You felt a grin pulled at the corners of your mouth wide, your sharp teeth baring proudly as you walked on over, making your presence known with your steps slow and sturdy as you easily crossed the distance towards him. His head turned, seeing you and your disturbingly delighted expression, so unnatural to you, and lifted his hand up weakly, speaking hoarsely as you raised your gun up. “W-wait, don’t--” Another gunshot popped off simply, a fresh new hole in his head as the demon fell back and died in another slowly forming blood pool to add to the others. This dance floor would take weeks to clean… You tilted your head seeing him breathe out his last and roll his eyes back, grin slowly receding and your face darkening at this sadistic thrill coursing through you. You hated it, it wasn’t you, none of this was you… But it was all needed. For them.

You turned your head across the ruined dance floor and made your way over to the elevators. Upon entering, you had lifted your horned head and hit the button for the top floor marked “S.” As the doors shut, the elevator didn’t move initially… You heard a voice above you as you waited. The voice of Vox, Valentino’s partner in crime as far as you were concerned spoke with condescension. “You think pulling off that stunt is going to give you an edge against not one, but TWO lords of hell? Who the hell do you think you are? You have one chance to give the money you owe and walk away now, you little pathetic nuisance. It really isn’t that hard. What chance do you honestly thi-”

Two bangs loudly echoed in the elevator, not even making you flinch as you had shot both the camera whirring still in the upper left-most corner of the elevator behind you, and the speaker that was on the ceiling. You hit the button “S” again only to feel the elevator finally kick in… Face unwavering in its cold and ruthless determination as you rose up… Your gaze turning up to the hatch in the top of the elevator as you quietly got an idea… You started to hop up and climb up the walls of the elevator climbing to the top of it and slinking your way through the hatch on the top…

You had crawled on up to the top and gazed up the elevator shaft. You spotted just what you needed, a vent. Just as the elevator let out its first ding to indicate the elevators arrival was heard, you started to crawl on into the dark ventilation system, deftly moving into the room from above and hopefully, undetected. You were quietly maneuvering through the ventilation and had been thankfully making minimal noise. Being an Imp had its benefits after all, you chuckled to yourself, keeping the noise down with a bit of effort. As you had heard the elevator “ding” chime out again in the area below, you paused hearing a flurry of gunfire for several seconds only for it to be stopped by a gruff and familiar voice you had heard rumble out beneath you. “He’s not there! All of you, get back to the boss and protect him! He’s around here somewhere and he is MINE.” Ludwig had grit his teeth as you heard the bustle of footsteps run backwards deeper into this studio floor. You had to get through him... Besides, the ventilation ended up ahead. You raised your foot and kicked out the metallic panel, slinking on down into a hallway, your eyes raising up to Ludwig glared to you.

“You think you’re gonna get past me just because of your luck last time you little shit?” He asked you, sizing you up, and seemingly not at all impressed. You narrowed your eyes and stood up straight, clenching your fists around your knife and pistol. 

“Luck won’t have anything to do with it this time. I’m encouraging you to get yourself a new line of work and leave right now. My quarrel isn’t with you.” You spoke with a coldness, your eyes unwavering as you locked eyes with the overgrown brute before you. Your green eyes were filled with focused contempt. Ludwig clenched his claws as he laughed and planted one firm step towards you, laughing. “Who the fuck do you think you are, some kinda bigshot? You, are a fucking IMP, who needs to learn their place! Minions to us, demons, as your betters, you are nothing but pests. And I’m going to remind you that you aren’t even deserving of laying a finger on that lowly pink fucktoy. Even he’s above you filth.” His words dripped with venom, his shell igniting with the red hot metal glowing orange hot on the sharp edges of his shell. Your gaze did not even so much as flinch as you lifted your pistol and shot off two bullets into his head. He easily just ducked down and had the carapace atop his forehead deflect the bullets away and start charging down the hallway towards you, flames bristling at his sides as he had ducked down and stormed through this narrow hallway!

You pulled your gun back and looked between his legs to see… An opening. Time seemingly slowed as you crawled down to all fours, and dashed forward, tail trailing behind you. As you soared under his charging footfall, you had dashed your knife in your right hand across his left inner thigh, and BARELY squeezed through the scorching charge, which left the whole hallway now in a blaze as he smashed into the back of the elevator you just left from. Your heart skipped a beat as you saw a chance to end this here and now seeing him wiggle and struggle to pull his shell free from the crater he just made in the elevator and wall behind it! You rushed over in the burning hallway as he was attempting to wrangle and pull out his thick, sharp shell out of the elevator’s interior. “RGH! You little shit! Just you wait until I-”

You let out a threatening growl as you jammed your butterfly knife right into a weak spot in his shoulder, causing him to howl in pain and reel back, allowing you to reach for his shotgun strapped to the interior of his shell and pull it out. The sawed off gun only had two shells in it of course, but enough for the job you needed to do here. You yanked it out and stepped back out of the elevator as he finally broke free, turning and reaching out for his other shotgun as you raised his! “Hah! You think that’s gonna hurt me? What part of bullet-proof do you not understand you fucking little worm?” You stared him down and then immediately aimed slightly above his head, firing through the walls and the concrete, several explosive rounds blasting through the rock and hitting the cables supporting the elevator itself! Ludwig let out a cry and rushed forward, trying to get out as the elevator suddenly broke easily under his weight and the lost cable, screeching metal loudly crying out, making you wince with your enhanced senses, but were satisfied when you heard the loud explosion and collapsing metal, and a hopefully crushed turtle. Not that he’d be a bother now either way even if he lived. You also noticed that a large chunk of his shell had been snapped off as he tried to wedge himself between this floor and the elevator to no avail, and even a bit of his flesh torn free, still glowing red hot on every single edge. You also noticed that the shotgun fired both shells in an instant. Interesting modification. You tossed the empty shotgun down into the now vacant elevator shaft and replaced it with the burning shell fragment, eying down the sealed metal door at the other end of the burning hallway. You noticed the fires were indeed slowly spreading, not that any of the flames hurt you, but this building probably was not gonna look pretty by the end of this all. Definitely not this floor, or the club. The two most important areas for Val. You took silent pride in your property damage, and hoped you would get to wreck this building as a whole in the next room. But your frown snapped back into place as you started a running start through the flaming corridor into the metal door, shield held in front of you to be your battering ram in your left hand, gripping inside, holding it up against your arm and using your momentum while running to keep it gripped as you bashed through the metal door into the studio!

The door and the shell went flying, throwing into the room with equal force, 6 of the henchmen had raised guns as Valentino’s laughter filled the room. You brought yourself still in the doorway, your eyes trailing across the 6 remaining henchmen, gripping your now single pistol, then your gaze travelled up to Valentino sitting on a plush, large red seat. Sitting upon his lap, arms weakly wrapped around him was a familiar pink shape. Angel slowly looked your way, a large black eye on his face, and even some cut marks on his arms and face. His eyes had a shimmer to them upon seeing you, gasping. Beside him, right beside Valentino’s throne, Hailfire was bound and gagged, and in FAR worse shape than Angel. She lifted her head, blackened eyes gazing up to yours, breathing in and out raggedly. Bloodstains all over her clothes and cuts digging deep into her. Her gag was stained red with blood, and dripping. You dreaded to look too long, but knew she was given a fierce beating and bludgeoning. And Vox had his arms crossed, sneering down your way with blatant annoyance.

Valentino’s voice carried out fondly. “Oh, darling… You’ve really gotten yourself in some hot water, haven’t you? Thank you for bringing yourself to me darling, you’ll make a fine addition to my club. What a cute little Imp you are, I haven’t thought to bring any of your kind into my little fold! Let’s change that, shall we? Vox?” Valentino’s hand raised as he grinned, static, arcing pylons starting to crackle around Seb. Angel winced, not even daring to lift a hand out for him to spare himself Valentino’s wrath, and Hailfire looked on in dread.

You felt the buzzing in your ears grow louder as you had seen arcing electricity zap from the walls around you and suddenly jolt down towards you! Suddenly, without the will of your own, your hand raised and a barrier of red, glowing magic bloomed from your hand, surrounding you and easily absorbing each and every single arc of electricity that had pulsed against your newly generated shield. Vox looked confused, lowering his hand and staring you down from atop the chair. Valentino’s face was usually so full of radiant mirth and sadistic delight now dimmed, staring.

Angel’s eyes were shimmering, gazing at you in shock and confusion. A laughter began to rise up from your mouth as you let out an enthusiastic chuckle, lifting your head up as your laughter carried throughout the room, echoed and beginning to warp as your voice, twisted by an audible distortion, spoke. Yours… But not. “You all chose a terrible line of work…” Suddenly, portals ripped open beside the henchmen, all letting out cries as black tendrils burst up through them, wrapped and constricted around the helpless screaming demons who struggled to get away, and were dragged kicking and screaming into the fissures. They had immediately closed as you started forward, tentacles waving from your back, grinning up in a sharp-toothed smile up to Valentino. Your eyes you could not see, but feel that another force was completely compelling you to act so different. He was in control now. Valentino could see it through the radio dials that shaped your irises. Both him and Vox immediately changed tune, Val shoving Angel off his lap and raising his hands up, standing. “Woah woah, woah, Alastor, darlin’ w-we can talk this out!” He conceded in an instant.

Your voice continued to speak, your own, but not. “Of course we can my old friend..~ I’m afraid you are part of an arrangement I have made! By the will of my lovely companion here, you are to sign and agree to this, or face the wrath that he is to deem fit. What a shame it would be to be killed and have your entire studio destroyed by one single Imp, wouldn’t it..?” You tilted your head, eyes flashing in delight. Vox was inhaling and exhaling slowly, hands still raised as Valentino pondered your words. You held out the contract and approached his ‘throne’ confidently. As much as you wanted to check on Angel and Hails, Alastor wouldn’t allow it yet. Valentino took it up and began reading over the arrangement you made, along with additional caveats that Alastor had made during this whole engagement. 

“Let go of ANGIE? Leave these guys without any penalty for-” You tilted your head and your body began to distort grinning up at him. You couldn’t lose that smile even if you tried. Valentino groaned and sighed, wincing as he pulled a pen out and began to sign away. Once his signature was attained, you snapped your fingers and summoned it right back to your hand, scanning it over for a moment before finally, Alastor let you go. 

You let out a gasp and a cough, Valentino and Vox looking at you in clear agitation, you rose on up and glared to the two of them. Clenching your pistol tightly again. The buzzing still in your ears. Valentino sneered your way and crossed his arms. “Take your friends…” 

“I don’t need your fucking permission.” You had walked on over and had Val back up from you as you knelt down to Hailfire. She could only barely lift her gaze up to yours as she was ungagged. Coughing out the tight cloth and hunching over into you as you knelt down to her, holding her close. “Hails…” You said in concern and utter despair. She didn’t deserve this.

As you had knelt down and got a closer look after seeing her ungagged mouth, she gave a weak smile. Her mouth and chin heavily coated in blood. She nodded slowly your way, and you saw the truth, her tongue was cut out… And just as you came across that epiphany, She had slumped into you and passed out, falling unconscious due to her injuries. You held her close and gently laid her down, sighing softly as you undid her bindings. You looked over to Angel as he had slowly risen up, walking up behind you, hands holding eachother in front of him as he gazed down to you, 

You shook your head in disbelief, tears forming in your eyes looking away from him, your heart sinking as you looked down to Hails. Angel spoke up. “I’m… I’m so sorry, Seb… She just wouldn’t be quiet… She.. S-she resisted them every step… I.. I tried to tell her…” He stammered, his hands wringing together in concern and pure sympathy, strained eyes looking your way as you had held your unconscious best friend. This conclusion, and Angel’s quivering voice… The fear, the suffering that Valentino inflicted filled you with unbearable rage. You had laid your friend down and rose up gently as Valentino’s voice came to your ears. 

“Well I’m glad we could do business, darling! Uh, you can leave anytime if you wa-”

You instantly whipped around and whirled yourself right up onto Valentino’s lap. You smacked his hand away and began to meatily slam your fist into his face, over and over, and over, again, until suddenly you had grabbed him, poised your feet to his chair and threw him far to the side, crashing the pimp into a wall and having him groaning in the rubble. Leaving you panting as you expended the last of your strength Alastor would give you… Your eyes glaring over to Vox who raised his hands right up again, backing away at your cold glare! “I don’t ever wanna hear of you pieces of shit again. Obey that contract or I’ll tear your fucking hearts out on live TV.” You had hopped off Val’s chair and kicked it over for one last bit of good measure, walking over to Angel and looking up to him. Your eyes filled with pain and rage, and he could see it. Your gaze softened somewhat, became openly more honest of your sadness. You didn’t want this. You never wanted this. Any of the violence and bloodshed. Not anyone. You just wanted what you got in the beginning… Love and comfort.

You turned away as he watched you. You felt his shoulder planet on yours as you turned, speaking openly. “Seb…” His voice trailed softly, attempting to be consoling.

“Later… At the Hotel.” Was all you said, waiting for him to willingly slide his hand away before kneeling down to slide his hand away. Letting yourself become numb. You wouldn’t dare show your emotions to these… Monsters. Worse than demons even, you considered. You lifted up the unconscious Hailfire up in your arms, starting to feel how exhausted you were, but determined to carry her to safety. You turned and began to walk on towards the emergency stairs, seeing the building was on fire for likely several floors, that was the safest bet. Angel followed behind you and looked back at Valentino one last time, as he knew this was the final time he was over to be entitled to him. Val glared to the spider demon from his collapsed area in the wall, barely getting to his feet as Angel glared back, a single tear streaming down his cheek. Once you were out of earshot well down the stairs, he spoke. “I can be happy now. Fuck yaself.” He snapped, walking on out. 

“You’ll beg to come back, Angie…” He snarled, shaking his head as he rose up from the rubble and got back up to go speak to Vox. 

As the stars shone high above the pentagram, you began to walk everyone back on home. Carrying Hailfire all the way. Angel reached a hand down and placed it upon your shoulder, squeezing fondly. But no words exchanged. None could. Not yet, but you glanced up to him and smiled faintly. Your eyes now shimmering and starting to let loose tears. He had only one thing left to say. 

“I’m sorry. We’ll get through this.” He spoke with the same sadness you felt, but… A newfound bit of hope he did not know that he still had. And a newfound trust that he never thought someone else could earn so truly.


	12. Tainted Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a long and tumultuous journey, Seb finally catches himself a break. Seems the Hotel will be a good place for him and Hailfire after all. And just before winding down, he decided to try his hand bringing himself and Angel close. An attempt at something better for the both of them. And also enjoying a passionate celebration of their freedom in the process.

It’d been a busy week, to be sure. Getting Angel finally moved into the Hotel was the main task today, as he finally agreed that after what Seb did, there would be no better time to settle in more than now. Seb, Hailfire, and Vaggie made sure everything went smoothly. As you worked, Hailfire was always glad to give a silent, reassuring smile your way constantly. She’d been largely cleaned up, but signs of her injuries were still present on her face, a bunch of new scars to give her that rugged look she insisted through little notes to you that she found cool and badass. But even as you smiled back in confidence, you were devastated by what happened to her. She was a strong spirit, but cutting out someone’s tongue is the cruelest deed you could imagine… Someone’s voice, your voice, was the most important thing to you. And you felt overwhelming sympathy and guilt every time you were around her, wishing you could’ve done better.

But regardless of this, things were looking up. You brought the little things Angel had and brought them back to the Hotel, at just around midnight where everyone was probably eager to get some rest in. Vaggie set her spear down by the couch and slumped into it, letting out a huff. “I was expecting problems. Good thing Val’s goons weren’t waiting like I thought.” You let out a little sigh, shaking your head. 

“Yeah no, I think he’s learned his lesson.” You said rather hopefully, looking to the TV playing an ad as you spoke. Also watching Angel and Hailfire carry up his things to his room out of the corner of your eye.

Vaggie chuckled, smiling your way. “Look at you, feeling bigger and badder? That news report must’ve really done you wonders for confidence.”

That incited a laugh from you, you crossed your arms and sighed softly. “Oh, it’s not like that. I actually haven’t been a fan of all the attention I’ve gotten… But I gotta admit, seeing Killjoy pull a smear on Val like she does everyone was pretty nice to see coming from her. Glad to see her scathing humiliations aren’t at all in anyone’s favor?” You shrugged. “Anyways, I hope Charlie understands what I did.”

Vaggie’s smile was thin, and she was bluntly honest, as usual. “Sure, doesn’t mean she agrees with it. Especially with the Hotel’s rep already in such a tumultuous state. But hey, if you ask me, we shouldn’t be appealing to Val’s crowd anyways… And what you did, all the coverage it’s getting and how you’re here, as the Imp that stormed Valentino’s studio and wrecked it is kind of... advertising. So It all works out, and as far as you and me are concerned? Don’t worry about it. I like you, she does too. Just… Don’t make storming demon lords domains a habit, yeah?” She smirked your way at that.

You huffed and nodded, smirking somewhat. “Yeah, don’t worry. I’m sure Alastor is gunning for more real estate on my soul than he already has now… And I will not be too keen on giving that to him, I promise.” Your voice trailed off into a more serious tone at that last part. You knew he would be cashing in his check eventually… 

Vaggie tilted her head and nodded. “I warned you. I just hope you’re ready to pay-”

“I am.” You interjected, lifting your head. “What I did was worth it and I’ll gladly suffer what I have to for it.” Vaggie… Nodded, seemingly a respectful nod, then rose up. “Welp. I’m gonna go check on Charlie. You have a good rest of the night, yeah? Lock the front door.” You nodded, watching Vaggie head on upstairs to the upper levels of the Hotel. You uncrossed your arms and walked on over to the door, twisting the lock shut and then starting to head on upstairs, gazing over at the sleeping Husker at the bar. Clutching a bottle of beer in his usual drunken slumber. You smiled and quietly shook your head, walking past as you started on upstairs yourself, heading to your room as well. It was time to get a good rest. You were exhausted. Emotionally and physically. You got brief nostalgia coming here two weeks ago… Things were so different then. You did not expect things to escalate as far as they had, and you still wondered if it was worth it. You were walking to your room when Hailfire was seen walking towards you, just leaving Angel’s room. She smiled at you and stopped you in your path.

“Yeah?” You automatically responded, looking to her in concern. “Everything okay? Does he need more help?” 

She shook her head. And just wrapped her arms around you in a hug, patting you on the back three times before departing… You watched after her, seeing her disappear into your room. And as you turned back around you felt paper flip and move around on your back. You reached behind you and pulled it up front, reading ahead what she had apparently pre-written. “Thank you. Hey, you should talk to Angel tonight. I really think it’d be good for you. You may be some big hero but I know something’s hurting in you. Go for it, dude. For yourself.” -Hailfire

You let out a little exhale reading the note. You turned to your day and crunched up the letter, sliding it in your pocket quietly before starting towards your door, the rainbow christmas lights in Angel’s room glowing in between the door’s opening, and just as you were about to place your hand on your doorknob, you heard him speak out. “Seb?” He asked, causing you to freeze in your tracks. 

“I-.” You started, your breath hitched. You quickly returned to your stony demeanor. “Yes, Angel?” You asked, turning to the door, and seeing him standing in the doorway now, both right hands wrapped around the door itself.

“Can you come talk to me for a bit?” He asked, his eyes gazing to yours with a… Tenderness. A soft warmth that you felt pierce into you with astounding ease. Your eyes lifted meeting his, smiling and letting out a slight chuckle. “Ah, sure, yeah. Of course.” You… You were starting to feel your heart flutter and swirl. Something about this felt… Felt good. The syrupy sweet sensation of yearning you tried to push away had started filling your mind as you saw him standing there and speaking like that. Angel slipped into his room and out of the doorway for you, allowing you to walk in and turn, shutting the door behind you. His lights were dimmed and his room had now a bit more boxes in it than you recall last time. Angel was sitting at the end of his bed. The golden glow from his vanity mirror shining over him, dressed up in just a red fluffy bathrobe wrapped fully around him. Angel smiled your way, one lower hand on the sheets, the other on his lap. And the other two upper hands resting and supporting him as he leaned back in place. 

You took in the sight, as a moment of silence filled the air. He… He wanted you to just look, you suddenly caught on to that fact and let out another masking chuckle as you looked away. “I’m sorry, what’s up, how can I-”

“Seb…” Angel’s voice said softly, his eyes still fully on you as you trailed off immediately at his tone. “Come sit with me.” He patted the space next to him softly. His tone had a hint of possessiveness to it, but overall was full of emotion that he was trying to reach into you and pull out your heart. 

You exhaled slowly, silently walking over and sitting by him. Your tail curling up along the bed behind you as you gazed forward. Posture stiff and rigid, hands at your side as Angel looked you over. He spoke again after a moment's more silence, seeing as to how you were struggling to look at him. Your face still rigid and statuesque, trying not to show the emotional turmoil you were starting to feel brewing within you. “I’m not making you feel uncomfortable, am I?”

“No, no… I…” You suddenly said, shaking your head. You tilted your head his way and looked up, pausing for a moment as you tried to find the right words. You inhaled and exhaled slowly, feeling an unpleasant tension rise up in your chest as you couldn’t speak. You… You felt pressure rise up in your face as you started to feel tears form in your eyes as you broke. Tears sliding down your cheeks you managed to choke out your sentiment, leaning forward, hands resting in your hands. “I.. Fuck.. I-I’m sorry… I didn’t… It’s just all so horrible. I should’ve gone with the both of you, made sure you were safe!” You said, openly weeping now as Angel gazed down to you with utter sympathy and open compassion. Not yet touching you. “I should’ve done better, should’ve made sure you were safe, insisted you both stay, I…”

“Seb…” Angel said, and as you lifted your head you felt his claws lift your face up to face him. You tried looking away, but Angel slowly pulled you back to focus. Your shimmering eyes gazing up to him as you tried to slowly breath in and out in his hands. 

“Y-you don’t have to console me, I-”

“It’s not your fault. You saved us… You did the best you could. You went and fuckin’ blew up Val’s whole fuckin’ studio for us… For me.” His hand fully slid under your chin, then eased up and pushed a tear away from your cheek. You couldn’t help but feel peace settle in within you further at Angel’s soft words and tender compassion washing all over you. “You just go, and go, and go, never giving room for yourself to feel. I want you to relax… Have what you want, Seb.”

You sniffed, looking down briefly as you were slowly calming down, speaking in a whisper in his warm hand’s embrace. “I… I feel I don’t deserve it. I didn’t do good enough… For either of you. I… Why do you like me? You don’t need to..-” You started to pull his hand away, gently grasping his and attempting to peel it away softly. “I just… Did what I thought was right, I’m not some hero or big badass like everyone thinks, you have to liste-”

Angel slid on closer to you, his hips bumping up into yours as his lower left arm wrapped around your shoulder, interrupting you and letting his hand drift away from your face as you wished. “No… Maybe not. But you did something very heroic and very badass, ya get what I’m sayin? Yeah I coulda probably busted out…” He drifted his gaze away, looking out the window. He too, had a good view of the distant metropolis from here… “I probably coulda gone ahead and escaped, but… Seb.” He looked your way tenderly. “That woulda taken… Weeks, maybe a month or two of -appealing- to Val. Gaining trust… Sucking dick, literally and figuratively. Being a... “ He visibly cringed. “‘Good little Angie’ for him.” Angel explained, looking down to you with a genuinely heartfelt tone. Despite his usual lack of ability to speak, he seemed most profound here, at least to you.

“I woulda had to slowly work and serve and earn my way back to the top with that man, prove I’m dependent on him all over again… Just get hooked again, and Charlie wouldn’t have been able to stop it… Just like all the other times, okay? No, I ain’t some fuckin’ princess in a tower. But you made sure I didn’t have to suffer doin’ what I really hate doin’; not being myself. Which is my entire life around that fuckin bastard. Until you helped me.” Angel reached a hand forward and offered it to you, your gaze now on him fully at attention, tears dried somewhat as he explained. “And… Hey. Bein’ around you..? I like it. And I wanna keep doin’ it. I feel you’re a good guy, and… Yer cute as shit, obviously. And basically what I’m sayin’ is… I wanna keep feelin’ safe around you. Ya don’t judge, ya don’t fuck around. You’re a bit shy but… Shit… You’re willin’ to go storm a whole porn studio for me, how can I be mad?”

His face softened upon seeing your expression. You were blown away. You looked to his hand, your heart was beating in your chest heavily. Your stomach filled with wind and a whole flock of butterflies to boot. You swallowed and spoke, a pink blush spread across your red face, you tail curled around itself on the bed. “Are you… Are you asking to date me?” You asked, very on the nose and looking away again, your blush was evident and even more obvious as you let that question slip from your lips. 

Angel rolled his eyes and huffed. “Yes, I’m askin’ to try somethin, Seb.” He said, with a warm smile. His tone softened as he continued. “If… You’re willin’ to try with me, anyways. I feel it’s just… It’s just time to give it a go. It’s probably not gonna be easy, but… I want to.”

Angel had spoken with utter sincerity and genuineness in that last breath. You looked up to him and rose up from the bed, pulling out of his arm on your shoulder, hands fiddling around with eachother as you thought and paced for a moment. Angel just had patiently watched you until you had turned and started to speak to him again. “I… This… You have to u-understand this, it's like some… Fucked up fantasy, a fairytale, something that… Most guys would just drop dead for you, are you serious? M-me? Just some… Fucking Imp?”

Angel patiently smiled, leaning back on his lower two arms again speaking to you simply. “Not t’be generic babe, but it’s what's on the inside that counts. And you’re a real sweetheart for savin’ me as you did. I can only guess that means you like me a lot, eh? And… I wanna feel that regularly, Seb.” He smirked wider now, proud of himself for getting a hang on this sweet talk. But softened his gaze as your expression remained conflicted and restrained.

You… Exhaled slowly. Looking down, slowly stepping forward, tail swaying behind you as you said your piece. “I… I do. I do like you. I feel like… You’re such a perfect counterpart to me. You’re such an out there… Crazy, energetic, down to earth guy.” You slowly slid down beside him, gazing forward to the vanity in front of you as you spoke on. “I feel like… It will be sweet. It will be good. Whatever it is, whatever it’ll be, I’m just so scared Angel.” You said, your voice noticeably gaining strain, as you tried not to start crying again, your heart openly bleeding in its honesty. “I’m scared of not being good enough for you. I feel so inadequate, lesser, and I want nothing more than to just see you happy. You’re gorgeous, creative, driven to do crazy shit and part of me just loves having been pulled out of my shell along for the ride. Down here? Hell, even in life I never felt that shot of adrenaline I did when I killed Ludwig with my car that first time. And especially when I made that deal with Alastor. Crazy, stupid fucking things I loved doing on a whim. But I loved it. I loved it so much!” You said, shaking your head in disbelief at your words, rubbing your head.

“I’ve just been so stagnant and lonely and accepting the dead end I told myself I reached time and time again. I loved ramming my car into him and blowing him the fuck up, I loved storming that place and just taking out all my anger on those assholes that would’ve hurt the people I cared about! I loved being FREE!” You began to say these next words, your eyes wet as confidence filled your heart, you turned to face him…

“I love yo-”

Suddenly, you were cut off by a pressure on your lips. Angel’s face had been hovering closer and closer near you during your long monologue without you even noticing. You blushed deeply, seeing Angel’s eyes, fluttered shut right before your own. Pink eyelids becoming unfocused and blurry as time seemingly slowed and your heart skipped a beat, or several. You felt his mouth on yours. Soft, damp lips rubbing sensually against your own. You felt as if you just made another deal and more of your soul was sold out, this time to Angel. Rapidly fleeing your body as your eyes too fluttered shut and you slowly leaned into it. You went through the phases of whether or not to embrace this kiss rather quickly. Wanting. Relaxing. Yearning. And finally, accepting. Starting to move your own lips against his own. The kiss warm and reciprocated sent shocks of pure delight and adoration through you. Your hands twitched and your tail did too. You felt Angel’s soft hand and claws slowly rub over yours. You naturally had closed your claws around his as well, your chest rising and falling slowly as the both of you held the kiss for several, warm, rosy, and foggy seconds. Until Angel had gently pulled his lips away and pressed his forward against your horns. His eyes drifted open with yours as you both gazed into eachothers eyes. You were utterly lost in the two differently colored irises soaking in the beautiful color they uniquely possessed. You felt your mouth slack a bit as he smiled, letting out a small purr of delight.

“Such dirty talk, Seb…~ You really do know how to make me feel all fluffy and shit, even if you talk a bit too much.” You felt your blush increase, warmth all over your face as if it couldn’t get any worse. Your lips closing as you try to open them again to speak. “I-... I-.. Hah, y-yeah, I…”

Angel moved his hand away from yours, and placed a single index finger over your mouth, claw running over your lips tenderly. “Shh… Seb?” He asked softly. “Just nod or shake your head for me. It’s just you an’ me and you already know I’m willin’ to go all 3 bases tonight… Especially right now with your cute ass being all sweet as ya are… But, it’s up to you, sugar. Just give a lil nod or shake and I’ll keep goin’ proper with what ya want… And I’m just fine either way.” His claw slid off your lips. You felt his lower two hands slid around your love handles, grasping on gently. You felt a desire in his hands, and you couldn’t deny that you too were feeling it as well. It just felt so… Right. This warmth that was sprouting up within you this time wasn’t giving you a feeling of dread or fear of what might happen. It felt… Right. It felt okay. It felt -safe.- Your arousal bloomed without any sliver of fear in his grasp and kiss alone. He could feel it, you knew that. And yet he wasn’t pressuring you, or touching anything you didn’t want him to, and that just made it all so much better. His other hands had draped over your shoulders and his upper pair of arms wrapped around your neck lazily, holding you close in his intimate grasp. Tilting his head, eyes gazing fondly to you in apparent desire as he awaited an answer.

You felt like this had to be a dream. The start of some first person porn film he’d star in. But it was real… It was true. This was reality. Your heart beat rapidly in your chest, swallowing in place as you had reached your own hand forward and slid it over his hand on your waist. You closed your eyes for a moment, pondering, rubbing his hand then finally let out a slow exhale… You nodded your head slowly, a smile shyly quirking at your lip as you looked up to him again. 

Angel smiled and spoke simply. Dragging his tongue over his lips. “Good shit..~ Don’t worry, sugar. I remember you’re a bottom. How could I forget?” Suddenly, his lips pressed firmly onto yours again, causing that fog of desire and lust to cloud your head again with greater intensity as he had leaned his weight fully into you, causing you to slump and fall backwards onto his large, fluffy cozy mattress. Angel crawling on top of you and effortlessly holding the kiss. Lips pressing deeply and fondly up into yours as you tried your best to return the kisses in kind. Tilting your head, shifting your lips around his, and hoping you weren’t a bad kisser. After several seconds, you felt his lips begin to part repeatedly, encouraging yours to do the same. And… You had, now feeling arousal slip and just grow further and further, the desire within you seemingly breaking out now that it could with no restraints of insecurity. Your soft lips parting, and you let out a little incidental moan feeling Angel’s tongue and hot breath push into your mouth! He tilted his head further into yours, hands pinning your own up against the blankets as he straddled your waist fully. Lower pair of hands gripping your hips as you quite easily grew erect and had your dick press up rather aggressively against his slowly grinding ass. 

Angel knew what he was doing. You squirmed slightly under his tongue, and grinding, and hands pinning you down by your wrists, another moan escaping you, muffled by his tongue which had been curling, exploring, and dancing with your own. After another several breath-taking seconds, which felt like hours, he pulled away, saliva trailing between your mouth and his as he cooed down to you. “Doin’ alright down there, cutie..?” He asked, gazing behind him as his hips were -still- effortlessly and easily rubbing up against you, demanding and easily garnering more and more need and arousal coming from your throbbing length trapped in your pants by the second. “You’re so worked up, so quick… You must -really- like me or something. And you feel pretty big too, Seb… Whatcha been hidin’ down there..~?”

His voice was filled with openly lecherous hunger. And a genuine desire to see you satisfied in a way he KNEW you were not yet introduced to. But if things played out well…

You got a feeling you were going to have to get used to this, not that you had complaints about that, deep down. 

“I… Th-thanks just um… Horny as hell. Heh.” You weren’t nearly as practiced at the dirty talking as he was, but it made him chuckle and growl in delight. Claws sliding over your chest. 

“Mm, I think we oughta get you outta this cutie… I wanna see what’s under all of this timid exterior.” His voice had peaked in a hunger as he leaned down to your face. “But first… I think you should see a bit more of what you missed out on, baby.” He had kissed your cheek fondly, then leaned back. His robe had been pulled back to reveal his full, bright, white and pink body before you. Angel was a well-exercised man all things considered. Definitely on the thinner side, but seeing him bare-chested before you showed he had quite a pair of well defined muscles all over his upper body. And of course, his chest had that large, round puff of well maintained fluff that really gave him the lovely curve he so expertly made for himself and his persona. You exhaled sharply as he rose up on his knees above you. He bent over, and his upper pair of hands planted right beside both sides of your head. His lower arms slowly pulling back and sliding off his underwear as he gazed into your eyes, smirking. Your eyes magnetically drifted down between his legs, where both of your crotches were aligned.

Angel’s bare and present, unexpectedly sizely member, half erect, had fallen out and swayed in the air above your legs. Angel licked at his own lips and hummed softly as he once again planted his rear firmly on your pelvis, starting to grind slowly atop you once again, fully nude as his legs kicked away his underwear to the floor. You now -definitely- had your own full erection bloom to fruition, and he made sure to feel it as he grew his erection to full right above you and before your eyes. Angel hummed softly and started to slide his hands up into your shirt and slide them along your bare chest. You let out a sharp exhale and shuddered, feeling his claws gently slide upwards. Angel purred down to you. “Mmm… Such a cute, dainty boy…” He pushed your shirt all the way up and lowered himself down, backing up as he kissed at your chest, sprawling all over your body with his own. His upper hands rested on your shoulders as his lower hands were doing the rubbing and massaging. His lips pecked and made sure to kiss as much of your chest as they could.

Finally, after a few seconds he pulled and lifted your shirt up and off of you. Tossing it aside revealed your own bare body to him. Not nearly as strong and hardy. You weren’t in bad shape, but not great either. Leaning on the more thin and lean side. But he certainly seemed to enjoy what he saw. He grinned down to you and hummed, gazing between your legs. You felt hands start to tug and pull at your pants, undoing them and slowly pulling them down before you as he spoke. “Mm, what a fuckin’ cutie, I could just eat you up…” His voice cooed, slowly tugging at your pants and underwear, grasping them in his claws until gazing over at your erection that sprang out freely, causing you to blush deeper as Angel had his face so close to your freed cock, and even rubbed his cheek against it!. “Mm… Not bad, baby.” He said, eyes flashing up to you as he leaned in, you immediately began feeling and -seeing- his long tongue drape and drag across your cock! Wet, hot saliva rubbing off onto your exposed shaft, causing you to throb and stifle a moan. He slid his tongue away and shuddered in delight. “Delicious, too..~” He pulled your pants fully off and away, tossing that off the bed as well. The final article of clothing on either of you was gone. Fully exposed to eachother. Angel took the moment to enjoy seeing you exposed to him and blushing as he eased his hands away from you finally. A hand rising up to start rubbing his chin, two others resting on his hip, and the last resting at his side. “Mm… Where to start..? I- Seb.” 

You looked up to him from between his legs and chest, shaking your haze away briefly. “H-huh?”

“Are you a virgin..?” He asked with a big grin on his face.

You blushed and nodded your head up and down. “Mm… That makes a whole lotta sense now. And… You still didn’t take up my offer the first time. Damn baby..~” He chuckled in amusement. “I gotta work on my first impressions if you were so unimpressed.”

“N-no, it wasn’t that, I just-!” Angel placed a finger over your lips, shaking his head. “I know sweetie. Don’t worry. Where to start..?” He had asked softly. “Mm… Seb.” He had leaned back and pulled off the bed, standing upright in the center of the room, his beautiful, fit body standing confidently in the light of his vanity, snapping his fingers and pointing to the ground before him. “C’mere. On your knees, Sebbie.” You felt your heart soar, and your pink blush felt like it readily consumed the entirety of your face. You had nodded biting your lip at that sudden command, obeying your weakness for submission and crawled off the bed, and got down on your knees somewhat clumsily before him, your hands on your knees. You gazed up to his erect member, that scent of it catching certainly kept your arousal primed as you sized up his member.

“This is important to learn, baby. It’s a real good start to some fun times, and you need to lube me up anyways, so… We’re gonna start here. Do you know how to do this..?”

“I-I’ve seen it…” You said, gulping. “Here, go ahead, babe. Just explore. Start stroking it first. Getting a feel for it..~” He chuckled softly, all hands on his hips as he gazed down to you. You lifted your right hand up and gulped nervously, and slowly wrapped your fingers around his member. You started to gently mimic the motions you’ve seen all before several times. Slowly starting to stroke back and forth, causing Angel to nod slowly and let out a little sigh of delight. “Mm…”

You kept easing your hand back and forth, finding your rhythm as you enjoyed the feeling of his own cock throbbing in pleasure in your hand. He started speaking again. “Mm, damn babe. Where’d you figure out to be such a natural..?”

You had gulped, and spoke nervously as you stroked, speaking as you did. “I… Uhm.. I used to bake a lot. Whisking and such.. I guess, I..-”

Angel started to laugh heartily, chuckling and shaking his head. “Oh my god, you are so adorable…” He had exhaled sharply at your tender stroking. His hips pushing up into your hands, and after several minutes, he had bit his lip and nodded. “You can go ahead and give it a taste, sugar… I’d love to see that cute little mouth savoring it..~” He remarked, reaching out and rubbing the back of your head with one of your hands, not pulling you in yet. But he was clearly encouraging you to do it of your own accord. You felt… Oddly encouraged. Leaning forward and draping your eyes slowly shut as your slid your tongue out and dragged it over the head of his cock fondly. You liked it. The hot taste. The eager throbbing you felt against your tongue. You licked again, then wrapped your lips around his head after doing so. Feeling him throb between them caused you to inhale sharply. A small moan sounded within you as you began to taste and explore his cock at your leisure slowly. But steadily gaining confidence… And more desire.

With each stroke of your tongue across his member. With each new taste and new angle of his shaft, his balls, him as a -person- you felt yourself swell with pleasure and delight, fluttering your eyes open as you felt his hand slowly petting and stroking your head. Relishing the feeling. “Mm, that feels so fuckin’ good. You’re a goddamn natural… Look at you..~ You’re perfect for this cutie..~” You… Didn’t feel yourself blush this time. You loved this. You loved every bit. The pink just kind of lingered on your face as you dragged and swirled your tongue around his cock. Panting and pulling away to comment. “H-holy fuck that’s… Mm, fuck you’re good Angel..~”

“You should get a better taste baby..~” He urged, claws curling within your hair. You gulped.

“I-, I want to… It’s just, you’re so big, you… You think I can..?” You asked, looking up to him with a hint of worry in your voice.

“I’ll guide you through it, okay? I know, it was rough for me the first time to, babe. For now… Just relax, and open your mouth when you’re ready. And remember, breathe through your nose. Relax your throat. Go at your own pace, and I’ll try not to get too frisky..~” Angel had twisted and rubbed the back of your head as your eyes had returned to his length before you. You had to be totally honest, your mouth was borderline watering, lips twitching open as you eased your mouth around the head of his cock, tentatively beginning to taste and suck on his head. Slowly, you began to push your head forward, Angel being careful but slowly guiding you in between his legs further and further, until he felt your resistance as your mouth was filled with that full, throbbing length. You practiced breathing for a few moments, he was right. You definitely couldn’t get any amount of oxygen with that in your mouth. As you inhaled and exhaled steadily, you began to gently swirl and ease your tongue around, starting to suck and ease your head back and forth. Angel huffed and spoke in a hushed whisper as he tried real hard to keep himself still. “Watch the teeth baby… Open up a bit more, relax the jaw…”

You quietly listened and paused to do as he asked. Becoming more slack and accepting of him inside you. Closing your eyes and letting out a content moan at the rich flavors of him rolling all around your tastebuds. Enjoying the steady rhythm as your head slid back and forth, back and forth, steadily and easily for several seconds. Angel letting out a pleased sigh and speaking up again. “Good boy..~” His thumb eased around your horns, hands grasping just a hint tighter. “Look at you, what a natural.. Mm, if only you could see it, you look so hot right now..~” 

You let out a little flustered whimper, which made him chuckle further. “So fuckin’ cute… Now, nod or shake your head, but can I start thrusting a lil’ bit..?” You looked up to him then away for a moment as he kept himself in your mouth, then gave a little nod of your head, leaning back and bracing for what you assumed would be the start of some difficulty. Your eyes fluttering up to him as you placed your hands up on his waist and braced. Focusing intently on relaxing and giving yourself to him… Your mind prioritizing doing this damn well. You had fantasies about being on your knees satiating such a big, amazing man. And here you were, with the best one you could imagine. You throbbed between your legs as Angel thrust up into your mouth, starting to slowly hump back and forth against you. You shuddered and were doing well to stay relaxed as Angel held your head in place, pushing back and forth.

“Good boy… Stay relaxed like that. Now let’s make it a bit harder. I ain’t pulling out, and I’m gonna go a bit deeper..~ It’s okay if you gag a bit. We all do it for the first time.” Angel consoled, both with heart and with lust. He had started to thrust again, his cock sliding deeper as you did actually gag. You weren’t expecting to, saliva flicking away as you choked out an exhale. He stopped and pulled back slightly. Chiding softly. “Relax your throat baby… Try again.” Angel encouraged, being patient as his hands rubbed back and forth against your head, sliding down and stroking the curve of your horns as well.

You had relaxed your throat and gave a nod as he sunk in slowly again. His length pulsing as it slid into your throat steadily. You tensed and he paused. You stayed still for a moment before you gagged again. He was about to pull back from his thrust, but you recovered quickly and pulled him back inward, hands tightening on him to resist his withdrawal. Angel widened his eyes and huffed as you pushed past your gag reflex, salivating heavily over his cock as you pulled him back in, glaring up to him in determination. Angel shook his head. “Mmph, seeing you gag on my cock is exciting. Little tryhard..~ Alrighty… You better be ready then.”

Angel thrust in again, your throat tensed and shuddered as you stifled a gag. Relaxing your throat feeling him sink in further. He pulled back and started to thrust deeper and deeper, his thrusts faster. Even going so much as to continue thrusting even as you briefly choked up again, groaning and forcing your throat to relax as he held you in place, stopping you from pulling back. “Mm… Fuck, such an eager, c-cute little shit… That’s it, enjoy it, I know ya do..~” Angel said, holding your head in place as he now was fully ramming his hips up into your open mouth. You throbbed desperately in the air, salivating heavily as his hips and balls slapped up against your face. 

It was like all of your dirty fantasies coming to life. Your oral fixation being satisfied to the extreme. You huffed and fluttered your eyes shut, moaning with each thrust of his cock shoved inside your open, eager, waiting mouth wrapped around his thick dick filling you. “Mm..~ Good fuckin’... Boy… Take it.. Oh god, take it Seb..” Angel said, rather breathlessly. His fingers had curled and twisted in your hair as he continued to thrust, wet slaps filling the room along with your adorable, desperate moans. You eased your hands behind your back, pleading up to him with your eyes as you opened them again, silently begging for him to cum. To feed you his release. Angel grinned wide down at you, holding your head in place. “Mmph, don’t you worry your cute little head… Ngh… I’m gettin’ there real fast.. Fuckin’ hell keep slobbering over it you dirty fuckin’ s-slut!” he said in exasperated delight. The words sending chills through you as you start to suck with renewed passion. Eyes gazing up at him in utter lecherous bliss as he continued to satisfy himself with your tight, eager little throat. After several seconds of thrusting and stifled panting and muffled moans on both of your parts, Angel thrust forward, shoving his cock fully down your throat and holding your head in between his legs with both of his upper hands. His lower hands were grasped tightly and kept your shoulders pinned as you felt hot, thick, fresh cum pump into your throat directly. Then as he slowly slid back, two shots pumped directly onto your tongue. Filling your mouth with that warm, gooey cream, then finally… As you closed your mouth to savor and prepared to swallow it, he huffed, two more cumshots shooting onto your face. You closed your eyes and gulped, swallowing quickly and letting out a shuddering exhale as you slumped forward into his cock smeared onto your face. Angel petting your head in utter bliss, panting. 

“Mm, f-fuck… You’re a goddamn natural Seb…” You looked up at him and smiled, panting. “Th-that.. Was better than I could’ve imagined.. Ngh.. That was delicious.. All of it..~” You moaned softly as you licked at your lips, slurping onto the cum that was sliding down your face onto your lips. Feeling dirty and filthy in all the right ways right before him. Angel watched you, his worn and twitching member easily starting to stiffen again watching you slurp and lick at his facial. “Mm… You’re really a little whore deep down, aren’t ya..?” He asked, smirking your way.

Surprisingly, you found yourself smirking back, huffing. “Mm-mmh… Y-yes sir.” You said, eyes trailing away briefly. Angel let out a little chuckle. “Sir..? Oh jeez, you’re gonna be the -best- boyfriend.” He remarked, then pulled his length off of you, sliding over onto his bed and beckoning you over from your knees. “Mmh, come here baby…~” 

You happily obliged, rising up from your knees, wiping your lips and crawling onto the bed after him, your tail swaying. You already saw him starting to stiffen again. Angel’s hand wrapped around your member as you crawled on, starting to stroke. “Mmh… Wanna let me have some fun with you? Or we can get right to what I wanted to do next… Up to you.”

You felt the large hint of what he wanted to do next as he had grasped at your ass, squeezing firmly, then giving you a firm spank as he stroked you with his other hand, causing you to yelp! Angel chuckled and grinned. “Oh, you’re so noisy. That’s gonna be difficult to deal with living in a hotel, I may have to gag you to not disturb the others…~”

You shook your head and chuckled. “Goddamn… Mmh, n-not gonna lie… That’s kinda hot, Angel.” You said, shakily, looking over his shoulder to him. But you continued on. “I… I w-want you to be careful, okay..? Gentle… This is… My, um… First time.” Angel frowned softly at your words, looking up from your tail to your green eyes gazing back to him. He adorned a little smile, taking a little breath to clear the fog in his head. His voice softened. Hand gripping your rear loosening and sliding up to your waist.

“Yeah, ‘course Seb… Sorry, I get worked up easy, yer just too damn cute, ya know..?” He leaned over and began to gently lay you out. Two hands rising up to your shoulder as you felt him slide between your cheeks, enticing you to push yourself up into him in a bend over your spine and spreading of your legs that felt all too natural for you with him there. Your blush was clearly never going to go away as you eased your arms forward and supported your head with them, burying your head into them as Angel chuckled. “Ooh, look at you, so eager…~” He swooned, his upper hands now squeezing and rubbing your shoulders, as his other pair eased up and down your waist. “Alright baby… Lift your head up, you’re going to have to really just… Relax your whole body…” Angel leaned over, keeping his girth fully pressed up against you just so his head could be right beside your ear. You heard his voice whisper with focus, but a sensual fondness. Continuing to rub as he instructed. 

You obliged, letting your legs slowly spread out wider. And you had shifted your hips lower into the mattress. You could feel his tip start to align and press to your tight hole underneath your tail, pushing and gently testing you. You could just feel his size and grew a bit nervous… But didn’t say anything. He was the expert and you had faith that he wouldn’t mess anything up. After all, who better to know sex than him, right? Angel had begun to speak. “This is, well, it's gonna hurt no matter what. Lotsa pressure... Just relax, and tell me if you need me to lighten up, okay?” You gave a little nod, smiling back to him. Your hands clenching around the pillow and then gazing forward, exhaling softly… You had begun to feel him push inward, spreading you open slightly, immediately causing a sharp gasp to escape, and a slight huff of strain. He kept it slow and steady thankfully, but still pressed forward. Easing himself into the full width of his cock, you take his thick head all the way inside, straining and groaning into your pillow. Angel chuckled, rubbing and giving a squeeze of your hips. “You okay baby..? I need you to relax more as we go in deeper, gonna get harder…”

You nodded, biting your lip and easing up into him, your ass raising slightly higher for him as he started to slide up into you. You kept your breathing going, it sure was helping as he sunk slowly deeper and deeper into you. You let out a sensuous moan into the air and huffed softly. Angel stopped, about halfway inside you and started to slide out, whispering down to you fondly. “You’re so tight darling..~” He cooed softly, causing you to look back and smile at him as he started to slowly ease his thrusting back and forth along within you. You still were groaning, but felt your insides starting to get used to his size. Letting out a soft moan of pleasure as you felt his body start to slowly and steadily rock up against yours. You gripped tightly and lowered your head, one of his hands lifting up from your shoulder to your cheek, rubbing it slowly and tilting your head back. “Good boy…” His voice cooed again, you leaned your head back at his words, huffing and loving being called that. Steadily, he began to pick up the pace, you were throbbing underneath, into the bedsheets as you started to rhythmically, all too naturally push up into him. Angel starting to thrust steadily deeper and deeper, eventually causing you to shudder. Angel suddenly stopped at his deepness, squeezing your waist. “Seb, you’re okay..?”

You nodded, huffing after taking a brief rest to catch your breath. “K-keep going…” You said, feeling the pleasure pulse and flood through your body. Angel eagerly obliged, gripping his hands tighter into your sides, cupping your cheek briefly, then easing his hand back to your hair.

“Enjoying this, hmm..? You wanna be my own special good boy…?” He asked, you let out a moan, your voice a whisper as you responded, stifling it in subtle embarrassment that was slowly being chipped away. He kept his thrusts slow.

“Y-yes Angel…”

“I can’t hear you baby…” He had thrust forward suddenly with a bit more speed than you were expecting, then slowly slid back. 

“Ngh…! Y-yes Angel! Yes I want to be your special good boy..” You exclaimed, the lust in your voice louder, but still trying to hold some sense of integrity, to not very much effect…

Angel had grinned and rubbed your ass, giving a firm spank again, causing you to yelp as he continued to thrust. You bucked your hips upward and huffed, breathing in and out deeply. “Again, sugar…~” Angel said, rubbing and giving your ass another squeeze, clearly trying to get you accustomed to it. Which he could tell you didn’t need much of, your enjoyment was obvious to both of you. “I want t-to be your special good boy…” 

Angel once again had raised a hand and swatted, causing you to moan once again. Louder and with even less composure. Angel grinned watching it. Starting to pick up his thrusts again as you started to precum. And you swore, you began to feel his own rising orgasm trickle inside you with that warm seed… He was near. You knew he was near, both of you were getting closer and closer. This couldn’t be natural! He must’ve somehow aligned it as such, you certain. The pleasure pumping into you as his slaps began to loudly fill the room, humping up down into you, holding your waist back into his thrusts. “Then you certainly… Mgh… Will be babe. Yer too cute to turn down with you moaning like that..~” Angel had grinned, starting to huff as he had now been thrusting his full length up into you, and you were taking it rather well. Very well. Pleasure soared through all your body with each slap against your ass, hips smacking up and holding you in place as he did so. A single moment had passed, filled with wet slaps, restrained moans that only grew less held back and louder as Angel himself had started to join, panting above your head and grasping you tighter and tighter. The bed shaking underneath the both of them as finally Angel tugged on your hair. You felt the sudden sting of it but let out a little yelp of delight as he finally started to fill you with potent shots of warmth that throbbed up into you! Upon feeling him cum deep inside of you, you too throbbed and came right below you, panting helplessly in his tight grasp and moaning in utter blissful pleasure. Angel had grasped tightly, pushing himself in deep as far as he could go, letting it all just pour out into you, as you, in contrast, let it all out. Both of your moans joining eachother, followed by husky breathing, followed by content, satisfied panting as the two of you had pulled away from eachother, Angel pulling out first, and then just flopping beside one eachother above the blankets, sweating and in bare exposure to the world. 

You had never had sex. And probably would never have sex as good as that, you were certain. Even if that was foolish to say… It was the best experience you ever had. You started to chuckle, closing your eyes as Angel looked over to you. Then… Started to join in with the care-free laughter. The tired, exhausted giggling filling the room of both you and him in unison. Then you both had just… Settled, afterglow washing over the both of you. Angel was smiling fondly, and looked over at you. “Seb, that was… Amazing, really was, I-”

You were tearing up as he had gazed over your form, a warm smile on his face quickly turning to a concerned frown as you were still staring at the ceiling. The shimmering stream of tears sliding down your red cheeks as he blinked, surprised by the tears. “Oh, Seb, I..-” You looked over to him and smiled, shaking your head reassuringly.

“Happy tears, its… It's okay. I’m just…” You looked around, nervous, at first, but then decided to crawl on over and wrap your arms around him, laying on your side and gazing into his eyes with your own, shimmering green ones. “I don’t regret doing anything I did for you… Even that damn bargain, whatever is going to come of it. For years, for time that I can’t even recall passing, I was just stuck in my own endless routine… Never daring to take any risks for anyone or anything. Just… Existing in the fucking shitshow this place can be sometimes.” Your tears were still flowing, but you managed to keep your voice from quivering as you continued. You maintained your fond smile. “I just… I hope this works. Whatever we’re doin’, I hope it works. But even if it doesn’t… I just want you to know that I’m gonna look back on everything fondly…” You decided to just wrap him in a full hugs embrace as Angel tensed feeling your arms wrap around him. Even your tail sliding around his leg. Angel… Paused, then his hands gently cradled around you, all four of his arms scooping you in closer. Then lifting his bottom two hands to reach down and start tugging blankets around the both of you. He exhaled slowly and rested his head atop yours. Intentionally using his upper pair of hands to pull your horned head snug into his fuzzy chest. You sighed softly and buried your head into it. The -perfect- pillow… He spoke as you did. Holding your close. Hands under the blankets rested on your waist, as his other hand rested on the back of your head, the final resting off to the side. “I hope it works too Seb… I… I really think you’re just… A cute… Probably too-loving guy. And… It’s just nice being around someone who cares. And… I’ll uh, remember this too. I uh… I love ya. Thank you…” He had tilted his head, then used his spare hand to guide your face up. His eyes were starting to shimmer too. He tilted his head into you and planted a fond, loving kiss deep against you. Eventually parting it and resting his head back on his pillow, and you, resting your head on your pillow-- his fluffy, cozy, warm chest. “Goodnight Angel…” You whispered, nestled into him.

“Goodnight, baby…” He responded, leaning back, and for once… Not having to have a buzz before bed, and thankfully, sleep rather soundly after all of that passionate intercourse. A smile crept on Angel’s face as he slowly dozed off, hope in both of their hearts beating together.

**Author's Note:**

> The ending of the series ends in what gives this fanfic its "explicit" rating due to the two main characters having sex! It will not truly come about in the first 12 chapters.


End file.
